OUR COLLECTION — AFRICA — SENEGAL 323. NATIVITY WALL HANGING
This large wall hanging of a Nativity scene was hand-sewn in Senegal by Samba, a local tailor. The scene depicts the Holy Family under a bright star, joined by two shepherds with staffs and four animals. The scene is surrounded by strips of bright African cloth sewn together in a quilt style. The hanging measures 26 inches tall by 45.5 inches wide.
Samba is a Muslim from the Mourid brotherhood of Senegal. He is a well sought-after designer. In his shop, items are piled on top of each other so he will toss them aside to make a path for customers to walk through and look around. He keeps an album of pictures of his designs. He has about six men who assist him with production. To place orders, customers describe what they would like, or even draw out pictures and ask him to try it. He jots the information down in a plain notebook with a few scribbles that only he and his main assistant can read. Customers return later to collect exactly what they ordered and it looks better than anything they had pictured in their mind.
Samba is a Muslim from the Mourid brotherhood of Senegal. He is a well sought-after designer. In his shop, items are piled on top of each other so he will toss them aside to make a path for customers to walk through and look around. He keeps an album of pictures of his designs. He has about six men who assist him with production. To place orders, customers describe what they would like, or even draw out pictures and ask him to try it. He jots the information down in a plain notebook with a few scribbles that only he and his main assistant can read. Customers return later to collect exactly what they ordered and it looks better than anything they had pictured in their mind.