Epaya Rayo continues carving the stool for several hours, and it begins to take shape, but then disaster strikes and a crack appears in one of the legs, so it must be abandoned. The fragility of this earlier form of stool is also evident in many examples in museum collections, including those at the British Museum, which are often repaired with small pieces of wire and metal.
Session
C011Rights owner
Samuel Frederick DerbyshireCultural group
TurkanaParticipants
Aman LoolioCountry
KenyaPlace
Kayapat, TurkanaItem/object
Very old form of ekichielong stool/headrest referred to by many as 'aporokocho'Techniques of production
Cut-chip-cutMaterials
Wood-commiphora (Commiphora schimperi), Akimet a ekal, Animal-camel fatMaterials alt
ekwangoromSocial group setting
Craftsperson at work aloneLocation
BushTemporality
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
2021-01-31Unique ID
2019LG02-C011-0750
