Bag
Your cart is currently empty
Wishlist

Colorful Handcrafted Bird African Mask, 'Akan Anoma'

Product ID: U22434

Curate

Colorful Handcrafted Bird African Mask, 'Akan Anoma'

5.0 (artist rating)

Delivery Estimate

This item is available for pre-order and will ship within 4 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Available in 4 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Details

With the privilege of experience, Ghanaian artisan Awudu Saaed creates the original design of this spectacular mask. He incorporates the artistic style of the Akan people as he carves the sese wood mask by hand with an anoma (bird) on the forehead. Saaed uses colorful glass beads to decorate the mask's face as well as embossed brass on the eyelids and around the face.

Saaed works with available brass plates to make a one of a kind version of his original design.

Made in Ghana

  • Sese wood, glass beads and brass
  • Motif(s) may vary slightly
  • Eco-Friendly: carved from natural and sustainable wood
  • Free Gift Wrap? No
  • Premium Gift Wrap? No
  • 1.58 kgs
  • 3.5 lbs
  • 44 cm H x 39.5 cm W x 13 cm D
  • 17.25" H x 15.5" W x 5" D
View in metric units View in US/English units

Product Reviews By Customers

(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)

Quantity

Triple 'Win' Pricing

Awudu Saaed

Meet the Artist

Artfully crafted by Awudu Saaed from West Africa.

 

Meet the Artist

Awudu Saaed

Awudu Saaed

5.0 (artist rating)

"I was determined to make it and also be able to take care of my siblings. This inspired me to bear all these risks."

"I am a friendly but quiet person and, when I was a boy, I used to follow some friends back home after school. Their... parents had a workshop where carvers, designers, and finishers were always busy working, and I loved watching what they did and how they did it. Noticing my interest, I was given the opportunity to try my hands at sandpapering the carved items by observing the older people. As I improved, I began learning how to design and finish a product. I think that because I admired this work so much I was a fast learner.

"I had to drop out of school due to financial difficulties – mother was alone looking after us six children. I wanted to be able to help her, and so I decided to join the workshop full time. My younger brother also joined me and, together, we decided to work very hard so we could send the rest of our siblings to school.

"The master at the workshop knew of our situation and allowed us to sell some of the works we were able to finish by ourselves. That way we could make some money and take it home to add it to the little money mother was able to make.

"Our situation began to change gradually as I improved designing and finishing carved items. I was also taught how to carve masks, but I prefer designing and painting. I see myself more as a designer and a finisher. After serving a while under master Abdul Karim Star, another featured artist, I started to work on my own in 1996.

"Starting on my own was not easy at all, but what helped me was that, while working for my master, I used the little money I made to buy the basic tools I needed. I used to travel by road to Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso to sell my work at fairs.

"I was determined to make it and also be able to take care of my siblings. The long travel paid off, my works were selling well, and I was able to put my siblings through school. This inspired me to bear all these risks of traveling.

"However one day, on route with a friend to an artisan fair in Dakar, we were in a serious accident. We were traveling by bus and we had quite a few carvings we intended to sell. But the bus was fully packed and could not climb the hill on the border between Burkina Faso and Mali. The driver decided to reverse down and we ended up somersaulting into a ditch.

"It was 2 am when it happened, and all was very dark. My friend and I weren't as seriously injured as others so we walked to the nearest village with two other men to try to get some help. We told our story to the police, who drove us back to the accident. The most injured people had already been taken to the hospital so the police just left us there! We picked our belongings, rescued the carvings that hadn't been damaged and we hitched a ride into Dakar.

"Fortunately our client there helped us – we had spent the money we had in medical expenses. Our client got in touch with other people and they bought all the remaining pieces, and that was just about enough for us to be able to get back home.

"Once home it all sort of hit me and I got into a bad state – I didn't leave home or work for a year. Eventually, I realized our family finances were in danger and my brother needed help at the workshop. I went there and, after seeing everyone work so hard, I wanted to carve again. At first, it was tough to stop thinking about the accident but, through carving, I know I have overcome it.

"I have exhibited my work in Ghana's Trade Fair (in 2010 and 2011), and now I also train people as designers and finishers. Now three of these apprentices work with me while others have started their own workshops.

"My dream for the future is to further my education and expand my workshop to be able to train more people."

View full artist profile

More from this artist

View All

PREVIOUSLY VIEWED

This item qualifies for FREE SHIPPING!

This item ships with a free artist storycard, so you can remember who you impacted today. Customized gift messages are also available with every order.

We want you to be 100% satified with your order, so if you are not completely happy with your item, you can return it within 60 days of receiving it.

Return instructions

We pack, ship, certify and 100% guarantee the quality of this item. Watch this video to see how.

This item is available for backorder and will ship within 4 to 8 weeks. Artists love to get backorders. Placing a backorder ensures that the artisan will do their best to create and deliver your item to our local office for shipment.

Although we cannot guarantee availability, we do expect to be able to fill the order within the timeframe indicated. But sometimes life happens - special materials may not be immediately available to the artist, or there might be some other circumstance beyond our control that could delay the shipment.

If for any reason we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will notify you.

In the unlikely even that we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will contact you and provide an updated delivery window.

This item has a special shipping flat fee which means that due to bulk, duties, or other special requirements, the item will be shipped to you via one of our special one-rate services. Shipping is only available to the United States (lower 48 States only).

WOMEN S M L XL XXL
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
BUST 35 - 36 37 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48
WAIST 27 - 28 29 - 30 31 - 33 34 - 36 38 - 40
HIPS 37 - 38 39 - 40 42 - 43 45 - 46 49 - 50
MEN S M L XL XXL
CHEST 36 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48 50 - 52
WAIST 30 - 32 32 - 34 35 - 37 38 - 41 43 - 45
NECK 14 - 14.5 15 - 15.5 16 - 16.5 17 - 17.5 18 - 18.5
SLEEVE 32.5 33.5 34.5 35.5 36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE

Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.

BUST / CHEST

Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.

WAIST

Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.

LOW WAIST

Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.

HIPS

Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.

NECK

Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.

SLEEVE

Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.

INSEAM

Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.

 

Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.

For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.

For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.

See buckle/tie belt size standards below.

WOMEN S M L XL  
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
inches 26 - 30 28 - 32 31 - 35 34 - 38 38 - 42
cm 76 - 86 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

MEN S M L XL XXL
inches 30 - 34 32 - 36 35 - 39 39 - 43 43 - 47
cm 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5 109 - 119

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

Sash tie length

Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.

Belt with buckle

Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.

Belt without buckle

Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.

Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!

DOWNLOAD

We refer to these items as "discounted wholesale". Such items carry a deeper wholesale discount than other items, and have greater potential to provide your business with healthier resale margins.

Premium gift wrapping

Turn your gift-giving into an art form with our new premium gift wrapping service!

Delivering a beautiful handmade treasure, wrapped by hand in exquisite packaging will make your gifts truly unforgettable.

Above all, it's EASY! Just select the premium gift wrapping option during checkout and we do the rest. No more last minute worries about presentation - your gifts will be the best dressed every time!

Most premium gift wrap is only $3.95 - $5.95 per item.

Select your gift wrap option during checkout

Select your gift wrap option during checkout

Go premium for jewelry gifts!

Go premium for jewelry gifts!

Triple 'Win' Pricing

UNICEF Market offers triple win pricing, where YOU the consumer, Children from around the world, and Artisans all benefit.

WIN # 1 You Save!

Handmade goods from developing nations usually pass through a series of intermediaries before being purchased by retail consumers. Each of these intermediaries adds cost to the product, and that cost is passed on to the customer. UNICEF USA partnered with NOVICA, who works directly with artists through their regional offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America, allowing purchases from UNICEF Market to go directly from the artisans to fulfilling customer orders. By skipping steps in the traditional supply chain, you can buy high quality items for less than the regular retail prices.

WIN # 2 Children Benefit!

Each item purchased from UNICEF Market will benefit UNICEF's programs that provide lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more to children in need.

You can learn more about UNICEF's work, on About UNICEF.

WIN # 3 Artisans Profit!

UNICEF Market artisans set their own prices and control their own businesses. UNICEF Market offers artisans a free platform to sell their work throughout the United States.

Back to Top