Homewares

Here we have another vast range of products. Accessories for your home - all sorts of Polynesian and Indonesian handicrafts -beautiful woven grass and rattan bowls and platters. I have traditional Samoan tapa cloth in a variety of sizes and patterns, many traditional designs, handblocked with a timber board stencil onto fabric made from the bark of the mulberry tree. There are beautiful Australian abalone shells, candles - scented, floating and votive; incense; painted, floating wooden frangipanis; loose separate neoprene frangipanis in two beautiful colours. There are neoprene drink coasters in the shapes of frangipani and hibiscus flowers - beautifully coloured and especially good for hot drinks.

There are some other unique items from Samoa - hand carved trays and ava bowls. One of the most important customs of the Samoa Islands involves a solemn ritual where cups of ava are shared from a common bowl to mark the most important occasions in Samoan society. It is not an everyday event as it is in some countries, but is a very special ceremony. Long ago before the letter k was dropped from the Samoan language it was also called kava in this country. Ava is made from the roots of the ava plant and mixed with water before it is strained for drinking. Ava bowls, or tanoa, are for the ceremonial drinking of ava. They are handcarved from a solid piece of local hardwood, usually the ifilele, a hard-grained timber of a maple colour. They are made of varying sizes and are mostly quite shallow. The width of the brim also varies according to the size of the bowl. They usually have short rounded legs also varying in number from 4 o 24. When the bowls are finished they are soaked in freshwater for a while to remove the smell of fresh timber. Often ava is retained in the bowls to give the inside a varnished appearance and will also prevent absorption of the liquid into the wood. One of the ava bowls I have in stock is quite different to the usual style. It is carved on a round base, instead of legs, and has the traditional Samoan tattoo patterns etched on the outside. The bowl is carved into shape then just the outside is immersed in water until it turns almost black. Then the tattoo patterns are etched into the timber to show the lighter timber underneath, contrasting with the darker surface.

I can make up a gift basket for you with any combination of basket and products - contact us and I will send basket to required address wrapped in cellophane and with your message on a small gift tag.