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The World of Crafts |
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| Home page ---> Glass ---> Beadworking in Western Cameroon |
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The World of Crafts |
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| Home page ---> Glass ---> Beadworking in Western Cameroon |
Beadworking in Western Cameroon, Africa
| Gourds, jewelry, wooden stools, sculptures, flywhisks, toys, baskets, and sculptures are some of the items that are covered with beads in Western Cameroon. Cloth is sewn to the surface of the object to be beaded, then beads are sewn onto the cloth, several at a time. Besides glass beads, pieces are also covered with seeds (seen at lower right) and cowrie shells. Cane beads are used to make jewelry. |
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Several beadworkers demonstrate their techniques:
| The tip of a circular needle is used by a beadworker from Foumban to coax six to eight glass beads onto a piece of heavy thread. The needle is then used to attach the beads to the burlap. | ||
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| In Bahouan, the surface is covered with foam, then cloth. Beads are sewn on (several at a time) with a curved needle. | ||
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| In Batie, stools are covered with cowrie shells. | ||
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| In Mbouda, cane beads are used to make jewelry and other small items. | |
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For more information about the beadwork of Cameroon, see "Beaded
Objects from Western Cameroon," in Bead & Button, August 2002: 16-18. |
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Links: Glass Bead Making in Daaba, Ghana Glass Bead Making in Odumasi-Krobo, Ghana Musa Heritage Gallery Tapestry Crochet in Cameroon Cameroonian Basket Maker, Fokam Goufo Buhler Cameroonian Author, Mih John Fung Cameroonian Painter, Hilarion Wirdzeka Faison Nigerian Painter, Elcarver Rotimi Agbola Tapestry Crochet Home Page |
| Web page, photographs, and text by Carol Ventura and Andrzej Gutek. |
| Last updated on January 4, 2011 |