A little bit of yourself in this section. There are 3 three text graphics associated to this section; Subscribe me, Advertisements and About Me. I hope either one will suit your need. At the foot of the Ngon’g Hills found on the outskirts of Nairobi in Kenya there lays a farm. This farm has become remembered by many as a result of Karen Blixen’s ‘Out of Africa’. Both book and film’s title are translated from the Latin saying which translates to “there is always something new out of Africa.’ It just so happens this saying has once again become truth, when almost thirty years ago this truth bestowed upon us the birth of Kazuri Beads.
The colorful ceramic beads made at Kazuri on the old Blixen estate are now famous world-wide and are featured in the Gratitude Collection. The Gratitude Collection’s Signature “g” Bead is made exclusively for the collection by workers at Kazuri.
In the 1970s an African-born Englishwoman by the name of Lady Susan Wood, as well as her physician husband made a commitment to the Kenyan people and their welfare. Lady Wood was founder of a small project to empower women, who had no other means of support. That one small project evolved into Kazuri Beads, which was a Fair Trade project for the empowerment of the local people.
The project whose name means ’small and beautiful’ in Swahili began with two women finding themselves at a huge disadvantage. With now hundreds of needy people, many of whom are women, being employed by this endeavor, it is hard to believe it started with only two disadvantaged women and a garden shed. Now many with disabilities, single mothers as well as women left widowed by the Aids epidemic have an option to receive an income to help support their families.
Kazuri Beads are made from clay sourced from the foothills of the mountains of the Kenyan Highlands, providing an income for small farmers in the area. The clay is processed in the Kazuri plant to remove impurities. Feldspar and quartz are added and the raw material is further treated to create a high quality clay.
Once this initial process is complete, the clay is then hand made into ceramic beads which bake in the sun prior to being fired at about 1100 degrees Celsius in electric kilns. Each bead is individually hand-painted and glazed before the 2nd baking period. With the meticulous quality control, quality clay and the skilled painting of each bead ensures the beads are flawless. Entire batches have been lost due to power cuts disrupting the entire process.
Kazuri beads come in a staggering variety of styles and designs: discs, tubes and even shell shapes. The colors are bright and vibrant or earthy and warm. The patterns and styles are innovative at the same time as they recall traditional designs. This is African jewelry but its style is contemporary and global at the same time as it has an ethnic, folk art flavour. Because each bead is meticulously hand-painted, each bears the artistic stamp of the individual maker. The names of many of the different beads evoke their African origins: Acacia; Benin Splash; Kalahari; Sahara Sand.
The women who work at Kazuri Beads do more than just make and paint the beads. The finished beads are made up into many styles of necklace, bracelet and earrings that are exported around the world. Beads are applied to sandals, purses and other items and the project has also ventured into making other ceramic items.
