Ellard Chipajola - click on the photo to see the entire picture

These were carved by Ellard Chipajola, near Luwonde, Malawi. He had a small home on the side of the road, and set his carvings out by the road. We became friends and he shared that at one time hiw work was featured in France and South Africa. His son recently reported that he passed away. His was the first of this type of carvings and those who copied his work were never quite as exquisite. The storyteller and the women at the well are of ebony. The two villages are African Iron wood. The other name of the wood escapes me, but it begins with the letter "m" and Muhunga or something like that rings a bell.