07 FEB 2024A MULTI-GENERATIONAL CRAFTGreat names have been nurtured on the hills and quarries of Tabaka for several generations, but the conveyor belt of soapstone sculptors does not stop there.
From the late great Dr. Elkana Ongesa, to Gerard Oroo Motondi HSC who has monuments in 18 countries (including one in the Burj Khalifa), sculpting has been a mainstay of this area since pre-colonial Kenya.AAA visited Kisii county to learn more about the art and artists who have been creating crafts for Millenia, with most of them learning to sculpt from their parents, who in turn learnt from their parents before them. This has turned into the main economic activity for the residents of the area, which is in a county renown for agricultural produce. That in itself a fascinating quirk.Gerard Oroo Motondi HSC working on a sculpture.A soapstone quarryA scallop-edged fruit bowl made of cream soapstoneSoapstone artisans creating piecesBelow a snippet from AAA’s visit of the soapstone mines of Tabaka Kisii CountyNaturally occurring in South Mugirango, Nyanza Province, Western Kenya, soapstone offers a very malleable material that can be chiseled into a myriad of subjects. From huge monuments to dainty functional pieces, craftsmen have over time perfected the use of this precious mineral. The stone’s colour ranges from a light cream/milky hue, to pink and even a dark grey variation. This allows for individuality in each piece prepared and exclusivity, with every craft being unique.AAA values and appreciates art and crafts created at the grassroots level, which is the backbone of the art ecosystem in Kenya. Tabaka is a gem in this regard, a magical place that has exported some of the best exponents of sculpture creation.
