The Makonde plateau is home to the famous wood carvers whose crafts can be found in all of the tourist, souvenir and ornamental shops throughout Tanzania.
Traditionally carved out of the hardwoods such as Dalbegia melanoxalon (sometimes called African ebony even though it is not an ebony) - locally called Mapingo, these carvings of masks, ornaments and village history are along lasting and durable. This wood is also called African Iron Wood and is one of the few woods that is so dense that it sinks in water. These trees take up to 100 years to reach a size that is useful for carving. Nowadays, these cavings are often made of lighter woods, and covered in "kiwi" boot polish to create the ebony effect. Whilst the tourist may not be purchasing the product they thought, environmentally this is much better as ebony and related hardwoods are very much endangered (mainly by the charcoal industry since logging has been banned), and the ornament unlikely to be around for the hundreds of years that 'ebony' would allow.
Not surprisingly due to the very low numbers of tourists visiting the Mkonde in their homeland, most of the cavings find their way to market in the tourist destinations of Zanzibar, Arusha and Mwenge (Dar es Salaam).
Visiting the Mkonde Plateau gives the discerning touris a real chance to see unspoilt Tanzanian Culture and traditional craftsmanship in action. There are no tourist facilities at all in the area so you will travel with a safari cook and sleep in tents at night. Sometimes there are basic local guest houses available but as the quality varies so much there is no guarantee.
For more information on visiting the Mkonde Plateau, please contact us.
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