The Couple

These two woodcarvings are handmade and is true life size. It is apparently made in the DRC, by locals there and then brought across the border, about 11km from our house, to be sold to tourists and expats here.

We bought it from the entrepreneur Francis, he is a Zambian, selling his goods on the sidewalk in our town. We met him when we moved here nearly four years ago, when staying in a guesthouse, while our house was renovated. He used to come to the guesthouse every Sunday afternoon, to show and sell his goods to the occupants, who were all expatriates.

R snr bought some woodcarvings from him, and since then, he turned up at our gate at month end, as regular as clockwork! C gets annoyed at times, because we have enough carvings to start a business, but R snr says it is his contribution to Francis?s life! He respects Francis for not begging, but working for his upkeep!

Needless to say, we do not know where to keep all the ?ornaments? anymore, and surely do not plan on moving back to SA with it one day, it does not fit in with our interior decorating at all!

There are beautiful pieces of the big five, smaller head and shoulder carvings of African people, other animals etc., I will blip them from time to time,