AFRICAN HANDICRAFTS

Any visitor to Africa will not leave empty handed. Perhaps nowhere else in the world are there so many artisans making such a wide variety of beautful handmade crafts. The skill of the African craftsman is passed down from father to son (women rarely make crafts for sale), and has come down from time immemorial. The artistry depends on the price of the piece, which in turn depends on supply and demand. In many parts of Africa where tourism is the main industry, there is a surfeit of carvers so it is a buyer's market. Bargains are easy to come by and haggling is the order of the day. However, when one considers the effort that goes into creating a piece, it is necessary to invoke your conscience in order to avoid feeling as though you might have cheated the seller.