RAFFIA LEMURS

Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs, primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog.

These animals are unique to the island and display a range of interesting behaviors from singing like a whale (the indri) to sashaying across the sand like a ballet dancer (the sifaka).

The imagination and ingenuity of the Malagasy craftsman are also driven by the representation of the nature that surrounds him; so with the raffia, the flora and fauna of Madagascar are represented.

Amongst the animals represented, the Lemur stands out, a unique and characteristic monkey that lives in the Madagascan forests.

Each piece is a one of a kind treasure. Use to play and to decorate.

These playful lemurs are made from raffia, some in vetiver grass, by Jean-Claude, a young boy who lives in a very small faraway village from Antananarivo where I travel to meet him & his family each year.

The poverty in Madagascar is crushing and income from their craft is critical to their survival.