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Mijikenda Artisans

3 min read

The Mijikenda peoples are known for distinctive craft traditions including the vigango (memorial posts), weaving, pottery, and other crafts that reflect centuries of artistic development and cultural expression. These crafts have economic significance today while also facing pressures from modernization, market forces, and cultural change.

Vigango Carved Posts

The vigango (singular: kigango) are tall carved wooden memorial posts erected to commemorate deceased male elders, particularly those who held high status in the kaya councils. Vigango are distinctive to the Mijikenda and are recognized as among the most important African sculptural traditions. Each kigango typically stands 5-10 feet tall and is elaborately carved with geometric and figurative designs. The designs are often distinctive to particular kaya or family traditions.

Vigango were traditionally erected at the burial grounds of important elders and served as permanent markers of their status and memory. They were created by specialized craftspeople who possessed both artistic skill and knowledge of the symbolic meanings encoded in the designs.

In recent decades, vigango have become commercialized: they are sought by art collectors, museums, and tourists. This has created both an economic opportunity for craftspeople and a threat to cultural integrity, as vigango are sometimes created for sale without the traditional context of honoring deceased elders.

Weaving

Mjikenda weaving traditions include the creation of baskets, mats, and cloth using fibers from coastal plants. Woven baskets are used for storage and carrying; mats are used for sitting and sleeping surfaces. Women are typically the primary weavers, developing skills from childhood and passing them to daughters. Weaving is both a practical skill and an artistic practice, with patterns and designs reflecting cultural preferences and aesthetic values.

Contemporary weaving is declining as plastic containers and manufactured goods replace traditionally woven items. However, some weavers continue the craft and have developed commercial markets for woven goods sold to tourists or through craft cooperatives.

Pottery

Pottery traditions among the Mjikenda include the creation of water containers, cooking vessels, and decorative items. Clay pots are made by hand using traditional coiling or pinching techniques. Pottery traditionally was a female activity, with mothers teaching daughters the craft. The pots created are functional, durable, and often decorated with patterns and designs.

Like weaving, pottery is declining as plastic and metal vessels become available and affordable. However, some potters continue the craft, often producing for local use or for tourist markets.

Contemporary Craft Economy

Contemporary Mjikenda crafts face the challenge of competing with mass-produced manufactured goods while also being commercialized through tourist markets. Craft cooperatives and tourism-oriented craft enterprises have been established to market Mjikenda crafts to tourists and urban consumers. Some Mjikenda artisans have achieved financial success through craft production and sale.

However, the commercialization of crafts can erode cultural meaning: crafts are sometimes simplified or adapted to meet perceived tourist preferences, and younger people may learn crafts primarily for income rather than as cultural practice.

See Also

Sources

  1. Wikipedia. "Vigango." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigango

  2. Indiana University Art Museum. "Arts of Kenya Online Collection." https://www.indiana.edu/~iuam/kenya/

  3. Shepherd, Gill (1987). "Rank, Gender, and the Islamic Frontier: Rethinking Swahili and Arab Identities." Cahiers d'Études Africaines.

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