Nubian handicrafts

The Nubians have unique handicrafts made of reeds and river palm leaves. These are intricately woven with artistic patterns that fascinate any new comers to Nubian arts and crafts. These are often done in different colours and are very attractive and popular with foreign tourists as world-class items. These include- KUTA, TABAGA, BIRISH (colourful spread mat) and LASHIRA (field mat) etc. There are Afro trays, laundry baskets, tablemats etc. They also make embroidery for household decorations, which are often, unmatched anywhere.Kenya Nubians have a unique culture, rich in all aspects, colour and aesthetics.Material art and artefacts of the Nubian People

1. Tabaga
· How the dyes are produced
· Dyeing the reeds(diss)
· Weaving the tabaga
· Hanging the diss to dry
· Jaff
· Diss being harvested along the banks of a river
· A Nubian woman carrying the diss on her head
· Different designs of tabaga
2. Ndoo
3. Bread basket
4. Rijai
5. Murkaka
6. Fundu
7. Birish
8. Misile
TABAGA
If you have had a chance to visit the Maasai market held every Tuesday of the week along the globe cinema roundabout in town. no doubt you will attest to the act that Kenya is indeed rich in material culture of all kinds from all parts of Kenya.

From the kamba woodcarvings to the world famous kisii soapstone carvings, to colourful Maasai beads the colourful feast of ornaments, implement or most curio shops in town, no doubt you have come across

Tabaga is a functional as well as a decorative handicraft. it can be used as a wall hanging , as a decoration in homes and also to put /carry dry foods in it. Traditionally, that tabaga was and is still used as a tray for putting the traditional food called gurusa and kisra.

Tabaga is woven using reeds called diss. The scientific name of this reed is called.

These reeds are commonly found along the banks of rivers, lakes and any stagnant water body.

An awl called “mukrass” is used to makes small holes through which the prepared diss is passed through the process of weaving.


The tabaga is woven in various designs known as “fendezia” in Nubian dialect.
Water based dyes are used to dye the reeds into various brilliant colours such as red yellow, green black

These dyes are produced from….

Method:
After the powder form of the dye has been bought, the dried diss is placed in a large sufurai filled with water and usually placed over the traditional three stones fire. The dye is then added and allowed to boil for a few hours after which the diss is turned so that the other side of the diss is colour too until the desired colour on the reeds is obtained.

No doubt you have also come across colourful Nubian food covers trays, coasters, and woven baskets. The Nubian’s material culture is abundant in bright colours such as intense yellow, bright red, greens and blacks.

Have you ever wondered how these baskets and trays are made? Do you know how long it takes to make a breadbasket or food cover that retails at kshs, 100/- or 800/-?

Like everything manual the Nubian basket making production involves a laborious time-consuming task. This article is a ten part series into the different types of products produced by the Nubian community, the process of weaving these baskets, mats trays and finally the marketing of these products.

Distinct to the Nubian community are several objects whose techniques and methods of production are handed down from mother, grandmother to daughter or from aunt to nieces, etc.

How have these techniques been handed down from generation to generation with only minimal changes?

Change as always is inevitable but historical records of around reveal that the trays, food covers which were excavated from wee very similar in technique to those being currently produced by the Nubian women today.

Perhaps the use of basic implements could be a vital factor in this. The following photos show some of the products that are woven by the Nubian women in the whole region of eastern Africa.

Armed with a ‘mutwa’ or a or a simpler version of a Swiss army knife usually in groups of twos or threes or even fours, the Nubian women go to the riverside or any water body to harvest the reds.



The reeds are usually pulled off from their bases and bundled together. The bundles of reeds are the carried on the head back to the homesteads.
The reeds are split and plaited and dried on the ground or on the roof

After the colours have taken nicely, they are removed from the sufuria and hanged in a corner or on a line to dry. After the reeds are dry the excess are store d for future use.



Longuu
This is the strengthening reed that is sewn in conjunction with the diss in the weaving.