Ndalama African Deserts Crafts

Introduction

Ndalama African Desert Crafts brings you handcrafted items from the Sahara and Kalahari desert tribes, from the people of Botswana and Mali – as well arts and crafts from thru out Africa.

Most importantly, we introduce you to the arts and crafts, the artisans and craftsmen of the deserts of Africa. The basket makers, carvers, painters, metal smiths… The San Bushman, Bayei, Hmambukushu, Tuareg, Fulani and the Dogon…

We also offer African cultural tours of Mali and Botswana, by horseback or vehicle. See our Adventures in Africa page for more information on visiting the Dogon, Tuareg and Fulani people in Mali and the San Bushman, Bayei and Hmambukushu in Botswana.

“We” includes myself, Debbie Logan, a Botswana resident and U.S. citizen living in the remote Okavango Delta on the Nxamasere Channel of the Okavango River, not far from Tsodilo Hills, a sacred site to both the San Bushman and the Hmambukushu of the region. “We” also includes  my African associates; Nxamasere, Botswana resident Nkgomotsang “Tiny” Mothanka, who is involved in buying local Botswana goods, especially the highly regarded Ngamiland baskets made by the Hmambukushu and Bayei ladies. Senabe Lehatshe, also hailing from Nxamasere is an invaluable interpreter with extensive knowledge of the people and remote regions of Ngamiland.

Gorel Sidibeh, from the Fulani ethnic group, is my Malian partner. A licensed Malian tour guide, Gorel grew up in the village of Nafunke, the birthplace of the late, internationally celebrated musician Ali Farka Toure. The Niger River port of Nafunke is in close proximity to Tombouctou, and thus Gorel has many close ties with Tuareg people of the region. For a look at the wonders of Mali and a bit about Gorel’s programs and our horseback cultural tours in Mali we invite you to visit http://maliride.blogspot.com.

My life in Botswana and travels throughout Africa have lead to the creation of this website. We have a small African Arts and Crafts shop at Nxamaseri Island Lodge on the Nxamasere Channel of the Okavango River in the far north of Botswana. The shop is called Ndalama Creations. In the local Kalanga language, Ndalama translates to “something you keep close to you” as in an ornament, talisman or piece jewelry.

The focus of our shop, as well as of this website, is to provide a sustainable outlet for local artisans to sell their creations. The ladies from the nearby villages of Nxamsere and Kajaja I and II bring their baskets to Ndalama to sell, as do local carvers, painters and other various artisans. My friends and professional associates Nkgomotsang “Tiny” Mothanka and Senabe Lehatshe and I, make frequent trips to the nearby Tsodilo Hills to visit a family of San Bushman artisans to collect and market their jewelry and crafts.

Boifang Samaje is an example of a young Motswana painter we have been supporting through education, promotion and sales of his work and with art materials. We invite you to find out more about Boifang and his work byvisiting http://boifangsart.blogspot.com.

The cash flow generated by Ndalama helps to support these remote artisans and to supply them with a reliable income. The income from basket sales promotes the independence of Bayei and Hmambukushu women of the region.

Lastly, we are also about horses. We love horses, and so we have a special category devoted to horse related things from Africa. We are involved in horseback tours of Africa, specifically with game viewing horseback safaris in Botswana via Okavango Horse Safaris and cultural tours of Mali riding with the Tuareg, Fulani and Dogon people of Mali.

You are welcome to write us if you are interested in finding out more about us. My email address is listed under Contact Us.

We thank you for your interest and your support!

Debbie Logan, Nxamasere, Botswana – on behalf of ALL of US!!!