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These adorable hippo babies make a fun sculpture! This piece is versatile and works well in a living room, dining room, on a bookshelf, office, or in a nursery. The animal is handcrafted from banana fiber, harvested from the trunk of banana trees. The tail is finished off with a spray of sisal. Great gift for the safari or Africa lover.
The Story Behind the Art:
Women in the villages in Kenya, near Kitui, are educated and trained on the handmade craft of recycling the dried fiber of banana plants, which would normally be discarded. They use their talents to transform the banana fiber into new, eco-friendly art forms. First, the banana fiber is dried, and then a light varnish is applied. The varnish on the banana fiber, with its many shades of brown, resembles textured tortoise shell. Once the process is complete, the artisans cut the fiber into strips to make one-of-a-kind goods.
