FOCUS SENYA - TANZANIA CARVERS ASSOCIATON

TRADESMEN at the Mwenge Carving Centre, along Sam Nujuma Road in Dar es Salaam, are quite optimistic about future business prospects, when the current reconstruction works is completed.

One of these hopeful people is Focus Senya, the Chairman of the Tanzania Carvers Association (TCA), which has its Headquarters there. He agrees that the rehabilitation project is making some visible progress, all be it slowly. Who knows, had it not been for the number of occasions when the work came to a standstill, it might have been closer to completion by now.

Daniel Augusta and Focus Senya, chairman of TCA at Mwenge Market. (Photo: Rudo Keblusek)

Although Senya still says its early days to say anything final about the business prospects there, he believes it will pick up quickly latter. The fact remains that the works, which started in 2006, is still incomplete and anything could happen at any time. However, he has seen enough to believe it will be a wonderful addition to business in that area.

In a recent conversation he admitted being confident that they would be able to maintain the sort of village atmosphere at the centre, even though the large trees, which carvers sat beneath, while working, are no more. For him all is not lost in this respect neither for there is still a strong sense of community identity amongst the traders, who are predominately the same people that make the artefacts, which are on sale there.    

Shop in Mwenge market (Photo: Rudo Keblusek)

Himself a carver, Senya says he inherited the skills from his father. He has been the Chairman of the TCA since 2002 and makes various carving styles, including those of animals. Like many of the other carvers there he is of the Makonde ethnic group, which comes from Mtwara Region, in the southern part of the country.

At the time of meeting he was very enthusiastic about 30 acres of land given to the TCA by the Government in the Mkuranga outskirts of Dar es Salaam, off the Kilwa Road. They would like to use it as a tree planting area, so that there can be a continuation of wood for them to carve on.

The TCA was also given a similar sized area in Masasi District of Mtwara Region, where they have plans of building an art centre. This would have a school, which taught the skill of a carver and keep some of their carvings for prosperity. Presently, most of their works is being taken out of the country by foreigners, who buy them.

There are 750 members of the TCA, according to the Chairman, but their intention is to bring under their wing all carvers in the country. Out of this figure over 500 are in Dar es Salaam. After officially forming and registering the group on October 10, 1987, one of their first tasks was to move the carvers from the close proximity of the Oysterbay Police Station, on the roadside along Bagomoyo Road and bring them to the Centre.

Flora Vincent, another trader there, who makes various necklaces and bracelets, echoes Senya’s optimism about the new road’s affect on business at the Centre. For the last two years she has been helping her mother run their shop there. It has been in operation now for over five years. The Form IV leaver says she has no intentions of doing anything else and is very satisfied working there.

She agreed with Senya in regards to the positive times ahead and says that although there is a difference to the appearance of the area, speaking on a broad aspect, there is still reasonable good business there to keep all of them busy.

“Having this new road right in front of our doorsteps is better. Visitors are still coming to walk around and buy presents and souvenirs; just like normal,” she maintains.