Weaving Stories

On a recent trip to Angama Amboseli, I found myself gravitating towards the Safari Shop – those who know me know I love to shop – but what actually drew me in time and again was the adjoining Weaving Studio. The Studio was inspired by the many weaver birds who build their nests in the trees around the lodge and the plethora of beautiful grasses that grow throughout the Sanctuary.

As I watched the Weaving Mamas in the Studio, I realized I knew very little about this beautiful skill and even less about the joyful band of women weaving and singing in the heart of Angama Amboseli. I wanted to find out more. With the help of my colleague, Evelyn — Angama’s Retail Manager — we chatted to the Mamas and watched as they worked. In this short time, this is what I learned with Evelyn translating:

'They used to only do beading. Even now when they go home, they still only do beading. They only weave when they're here, but they have enjoyed learning something new. If the raw materials were more easily available, they would be doing it at home but most of it comes from the coast which is a bit far. They would have liked to have taught their friends and family this skill.

Weaving is more of a coastal skill to the Kamba community. Maasai is just beading, beading, beading. Beading comes naturally to them because they have grown up doing it, but with weaving, they have to think about it. I think they wish they were beading here. (Here, they all chime in with “dhahiri”, meaning "Obviously”). Although recently adding beadwork to the weaving opened new opportunities for them — now, it's woven, but it has the Maasai touch. A sense of place. A sense of the women who handmade it for their guests.

This is the first time they have had permanent employment. Usually, when they’re at home, they do casual labour. Some areas that they come from have lots of farms, so they help on the farms and sell the produce. Working here in the Weaving Studio is good work for them because it's flexible; this week, you work, and next week, you stay at home, so it’s very flexible but stable, and you get a steady supply of money.

All of them are mothers, the person with the least children has two, but most have eight or nine. One of the Mamas, Mary, has given birth to six children but also looks after six orphans, so she has 12 children in total. Of her own grandchildren, there are nearly 20 and then with her adopted children she has nearly 40 grandchildren. As you can see, this work is important to her as the money has to stretch a very long way.

They’re from three different clans. They don’t mind working together, so long as everybody gets paid equally. Some of them are friends outside of work, but it depends on where they live because Kimana is a big place, and the Maasai have big lands, and none of them have easy transport. It also depends on if they go to the same church, but they knew each other before they came here — this you can also tell from their friendship and laughter.'