Claude & Jill Kleynhans, born and raised in South Africa, both have a genuine love and appreciation for African artifacts and curios.  We are an independant supplier of African curios and hope to make a difference by promoting our African heritage and culture, through African Arts and Crafts.  Our gift store was established in 1997, but has only recently been launched on the internet, enabling us to offer our beautiful products worldwide.

Our gift store is situated on the Mafigeni Safari Lodge premises in the Limpopo province, just 40 minutes from the renowned Kruger National Park.  Should you find yourself in our vicinity, we welcome you to stop by and browse in our gift store, or spend the night for an incredible safari lodge experience.

Our website and its content will continue to grow and change, as technology advances and our stock grows.  We trust that our current format will make your shopping experience with us a pleasant and easy one.

Orders will be shipped within 3 business days of the order being received.  Please specify whether you would like to have your items shipped by air or surface mail.

Please feel free to contact us for special orders or custom carvings.

MASKS FROM ALL OVER AFRICA

In many African cultures, the use of masks and masquerades dramatize the ways in which the seasons and the natural order of life are honoured. During these vibrant rituals, masks representing various forces of nature are adorned, bringing the ritual or ceremony to life. The masks are crafted largely from wood, leafy branches and raffia fibre.

Masks evolved from the agricultural purification ritual, whereby it was believed that nature is essentially benevolent and that farming is an offense against this goodness. Despite their efforts to atone for this transgression, early agriculturists believed that on their own they could not be saved from punishment, so they created the first society of masks, whose task was to purify the earth and all those who had defiled it. With time, the masks assumed a broader role and introduced the power of the spirit world into other aspects of life, including weddings, initiation, funerals, and other community rituals.


BEAUTIFUL BEADWORK

Glass, bones, metals, amber, stones - they’re all used on this diverse continent to beautify, decorate or represent the wealth of the family.

Traditional beadwork designs are bound by custom and one can easily identify the origin of a beaded article. Tribes that are well-known for their beadwork include the Ndebele from South Africa and the Masai from Tanzania.


FIGURES FOR AFRICA!

The African people are so culture bound and believe in reciprocity between himself and the natural world: Whatever is taken must be accounted for and something must be offered in return. Various ceremonies, rites and offerings are performed using masks and figures made of wood, bronze and clay, to convey various messages to the spirit world


FANCY THIS?

Roses are red, violets are blue and diamonds are white – right? Not quite. They come in an array of rainbow colours. Symbols of Africa offers you the very best prices and quality on precious gems – call us for African mined Diamonds and Tanzanite.
(There is no import or export duty on loose, cut precious stones!)