El Molo Craftsmanship

The El Molo is a Kenyan community that settled in the area around Lake Turkana, at El Molo bay. This group and its language are today almost extinct, but the El Molo people were traditionally known for their skilled craftsmen and women. 

These two panniers (sinai) were made of doum palm leaf fibre string. Attached to a donkey, they were used to carry firewood, water, and food.    

This wooden three-legged headrest and stool was used by men, to sit on during various ceremonies and to rest their heads.    

Besides being used as drinking pots, ostrich eggs were used to create ornaments. The eggshells were placed on a flat stone and gently chipped using a heavy piece of iron. After being chipped to the required size, the rough edges were smoothed on a stone. 

These earrings (Krawuni) were made of wire, two pearl buttons and red, green, yellow and blue beads.

These snuff containers are made from small wild gourds which grew on the hills. One has orange and blue beads strung on a nylon fishing line, so that the container could be worn around the neck.