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Epaya Rayo making an older form of stool referred to by some as an 'aporokocho'

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posted on 2023-11-30, 18:56 authored by Samuel DerbyshireSamuel Derbyshire
Epaya Rayo sets off in search of the right shape of wood, he cuts it out and begins working on the stool, at the end of the day, he buries it to keep it moist.

Funding

Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

History

Session

C011

Rights owner

Samuel Frederick Derbyshire

Cultural group

Turkana

Participants

Aman Loolio

Country

Kenya

Place

Kayapat, Turkana

Item/object

Very old form of ekichielong stool/headrest referred to by many as 'aporokocho'

Techniques of production

Cut-cut, Cut-chip-cut

Materials

Wood-commiphora (Commiphora schimperi), Akimet a ekal, Animal-camel fat

Materials alt

ekwangorom

Social group setting

Craftsperson at work alone

Location

Bush

Temporality

This form of stool/headrest is no longer made or used in Turkana. Photographs and objects in museums around the world attest to the fact that during the late 19th and early 20th century, most men used thin, two legged stools like this. During a group discussion session in Moru Sipo, the history of this object was discussed in depth (2019LG-02-G002-0001). Some have argued that, following the early years of the 20th century, the emakuk form took over and became ubiquitous across the male population, causing women to adopt the so-called older 'aporokocho' form (the form made by Epaya Rayo here). Photographs from around the time of independence (1963) show men using a variety of emakuks and more recent forms, but none holding this older, thin, two-legged stool. No examples remain in contemporary use, and very few people remember seeing them.

Date of creation

2021-01-30

Unique ID

2019LG02-C011-0740

Usage metrics

    Endangered Material Knowledge Programme

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