The town we stayed near was called Tabaka, about 45 minutes from Kisii town, and the home of an enormous deposit of soapstone which is ideal for carvings. Two quarries were within walking distance, and the town center was dominated by groups carving and selling soapstone. The types of items they sculpt range from chess sets, animals, plates, figurines, to small hearts, bowls and jewelry boxes. Jonathon took us to the shops of two self-help groups he works with. Their shops were filled with boxes and shelves loaded with various carvings. The neat thing was also seeing the craftsmen and women who work with the stones. There are carvers, polishers, finishers and painters who work like an assembly line, creating beautiful pieces of art.
Basically the process is first selecting a suitable piece of stone. The colors, size, and the density of the stone has to be considered before the basic “sketch” of the piece is chiseled out with a machete and mallet. Next, another person does the more intricate details, finishing the piece from the rough outline the carver used. Then sanders use 7 different sand papers, going to 2500+ grain sand paper which makes the stone smooth and soft. Finally, painting and the final finishing touches are carved into the piece before it is packed, stored, or placed in the showroom.
A second highlight of our trip to Kisii was enjoying the beautiful countryside with good company. Kisii is a green place, raining regularly. It is very hilly but farms cover each peak. Everything from tea, to sugar, to maize grows rapidly. We took walks everyday with Jonathon, Marti and the kids and had a wonderful time just relaxing. We'll always remember our time in Kisii as a blessed week.
Matt trying his hand at carving......Sunset in Tabaka
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