KENYA: Old soup bones make unique medium for Kenyan artisan

Record ID: 362091

  • Title: KENYA: Old soup bones make unique medium for Kenyan artisan
  • Date: 31st March 2007
  • Summary: PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET IN KANGEMI SLUM
  • Embargoed: 15th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA718FJRTU9J0GVU7NFDW00I3W9
  • Story Text: Ben Omondi puts the finishing touches on a salad spoon at his workshop in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. Omondi runs Bemos crafts, a company that makes a wide range of carvings from animal bones.
    "I thought of using bones because they were locally available at the same time I thought of using something different that people have not thought of using," he said.
    The 33-year-old has been shaping bones for the last 9 years. He took up the craft after attending various workshops held for artists in the country.
    Omondi stressed the important of cleaning the bones before carving.
    "You have to take care of your health, so these bones you have to take long to boil them so that it kills any germs that could be in the bones, like camel bones, we take 12 hours to boil the camel bone and cow bone and goat bone we take like 8 hours. This helps to kill any germs that could be in the bone," Omondi said.
    When dry, the bones are measured to identify designs that will suit their size. They are later carefully chipped away to reduce their weight. The bones are then ready for carving; so desired shapes are outlined on the surface. A coat of wax is later applied. This will seal out paint from reaching parts of the carving when it is dyed.
    Most animal bones used by Bemos Crafts are sourced from Kangemi, a slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. They are normally bought from butchers who make soup.
    Middlemen like John Maina buy the bones from the butchers for resale to craftsmen like Ben Omondi. But they are getting harder to find.
    A recent outbreak of Rift Valley fever in parts of the country means that many regulars here have opted to keep off livestock products for a while. The contagious disease can be spread through consumption of contaminated meat.
    Around 150 people have already died from the disease.
    "Since Rift Valley fever started, the ones who boil soup do not boil as many bones as they did before, so bones are not so readily available now like in the past," says Maina.
    Once Maina has collected enough bones he delivers them to Ben. A bag of bones goes for seven US dollars.
    Each week, Omondi sets aside a day to visit the Undugu Fair Trade shop. An outlet that helps artists' market their work.
    "The demand for Ben's products is really high, this is because a lot of people are now very environment conscious and they know that his products are made from waste products and they would like to be able to support such groups working on improving the environment by using their waste and turning it into good products for sale," says Alice Musimbi, Business Manager at Undugu.
    With the money he makes, Omondi is able to comfortably support his wife and three children. On a good month he takes home around 300 US dollars.
    "When he gets home after work, I give him a glass of milk because at his place of work he inhales a lot of dust. So the milk helps in unclogging the dust," said Evelyn, Omondi's wife.
    Omondi wants to take his artwork a step further and is working on plans to expand his business. He hopes that more people can appreciate his craftwork for its beauty and functionality.
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