I was able to get some beautiful hand crafted items from Novica for review. They have absolutely beautiful hand crafted home decor made by artisans from all over the world. They also have beautiful silver jewelry. Novica’s Mission Statement:
We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.
At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.
We want you to know about who you’re buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.
In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.
NOVICA. The World is Your Market.
Green Jungle Gourd Maracas
My husband is a percussionist and I was able to get him two beautiful pieces to put into his studio once it’s finished. (Did I mention how slow home renovations are going?!) I was able to get a pair of Green Jungle Gourd Maracas. They are beautiful. The maracas came hand wrapped with a cute little llama attached to the ribbon. I thought that was awesome. I had to hide the llama until I have someplace to display it because I don’t want my little monkeys to get to it! I love that you get to know a little about each artist that makes your item from their website. Here is a little bit about the artist that made them:
Dionisio Quilla
The artistry of Dionisio Quilla has been featured in Natural Health magazine.
Dionisio Quilla was born in Peru’s Puno province on October 3, 1942. He handcrafts most traditional Peruvian musical instruments, including percussion such asbombos, drums and tinyas,; string instruments such as charangos and wind instruments like quena and zampoña. Quilla uses wood and bamboo canes, nylon strings and colorful cotton threads to imbue each instrument with a Cuzco flair.
When he was eight years old, Quilla begin to learn his craft from his father, and started making instruments just for fun. Gradually, his technique began to improve and Quilla became more involved in the elaboration process. As a teenager, Quilla accompanied his father to sell their instruments to stores and fairs around Cuzco, Ayacucho and Lima.
Quilla describes his work as a way of life, a special motivation, and an activity that has enabled him to provide for his family as well as an education for his six children. Now, four of his children are studying for a university degree and two are studying technical courses.
“Thanks to my hard work and my great customers, my children are able to get a higher education,” says a proud Quilla. “Three of them want to follow their own career, while the other three want to help me.”
“To Novica clients I wish to tell them that with my musical instruments you can play Andean and folkloric music, play the music from my land.”
Djembe Drum
I was also able to get him a wood djembe drum. The symbols on the drum mean “I fear none except God”
Ernestina Oppong Asante
Artist and musical instrument maker Ernestina Oppong Assante has been featured in periodicals ranging from Red Herring Magazine to The Christian Science Monitor. She is also featured in Keepers of the Arts, a beautiful hardcover book available through Novica.
“I was born at in the eastern region of Ghana on July 23, 1968, and had my early education there. I trained in dressmaking but on completion of the course, I realized that the trade would not do well inm y town. I therefore decided to learn a popular trade like carving. I trained under one Kwame Duah and within three years I had perfected the skill and was developing woodcarvings on my own. Since 1995, I have been operating a workshop of my own with four people working under me. Fortunately, my husband David Assante also trained as a carver and so we combine our skills to design and carve the drums with perfection.
“From Nakese in the eastern region I acquire a type of hardwood known as tweneboafor carving the drums. For the pegs I use the odum tree. Other materials I use are animal skin, pieces of cloth, iron rods and strings. The wood is already carved into hollows before I buy it. I then carve in the Adinkra and other symbols and designs. The next stage is to have the apprentices smoothe the woodwork with sandpaper. The iron rings which are placed on the mouth of the drum are wrapped with pieces of cloth to prevent rusting. The animal skin is bought from the northern region of Ghana and its environs. It is soaked in water for about two hours to soften. The skin is firmly pulled through the iron rings to cover the mouth of the drum and this ensures that it comes out with a good sound. The drum is then left in the sun to dry after which it is tested for sound and tone quality.
“I love making drums. I believe that there are very bright business prospects for the African traditional drum. Though carving has long been regarded as the preserve of men, I am glad that I have been able not only to infiltrate but to also make an impact on the trade. For the years that I have been in this business, I have never had any regrets whatsoever. It is my fervent hope to carve more interesting drums for you to enjoy.”
I really love the quality of their products and when I have the extra money I may be buying my husband another beautiful, but full sized, drum from there.
Disclosure: I was given a gift certificate from Novica to pick out items from their website to review. Opinions are 100% my own.
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I used to have my living room decorated with all kinds of ethnic things – I love the drum and maracas! They are beautiful! Great review!
You picked some really cool stuff.
I love love love NOVICA. I love that drum. It would look great in my house!
I love NOVICA! They have so much wonderful stuff it makes it very hard to choose what to buy. I love my set of glasses that I got from them.