African wood mask, "Saving"

Update (August, 2019)

“I joined NOVICA 15 years ago, when my first sale was less than three dollars. Through NOVICA, I have been able to acquire a shop, but before I used to sell along the roadside. In the beginning, carrying the works all the way from Aburi to Accra was hectic, but with time I got used to it because of the help NOVICA was offering by listing our products.

My sales and production of wood works have improved; I now produce higher-quality work. Some challenges I have encountered were with the means of transportation; in the process of getting my works to the local office, some of my pieces would get damaged due to mishandling.

“My aim is to create more works for NOVICA.”

Original Artisan Story

"My name is Walter Kuma, and I was born in Ghana on October 22, 1981. I got interested in Ghanaian and African carvings when I was a child, because they have been an important art form for many generations. Africans adore carving, because it is filled with historic and spiritual significance. So when I finished middle school I chose to learn the trade, and I was apprenticed to Mr. Kofi Adjei.

"Now I have my own workshop, where I design and carve the things I like. I also have three young apprentices learning the trade. I carve different masks that represent the value of the family, unity and our ancestors. African masks have a strong social, ethnic, historic and symbolic meaning. I have not attended any exhibitions personally, but the people that have bought my work have exhibited in their galleries or take them to different African-theme exhibitions."