Paddle-making Part II

After our expedition into the bush to cut a piece of the boogu-boogu tree, I had just begun to make my paddle. Fortunately for me, a master craftsman named Jimmy from the village of Chon-Chon came to visit my neighbors, the Ajambias, the same week. Jimmy helped me shape the paddle with a machete, first by filing the blade until a full half-inch shone razor-sharp, then by carving the general shape using only the machete blade to guide his measurements. Since the wood twisted, we carved it light and thin to straighten it as much as possible while maintaining the height of a Manningae or “manly man’s” paddle. Jimmy helped me carve in a couple hours what would have taken me days to chip away.

Next, the wood needed to be planed and sanded and shaped more finely with a small knife. Heni helped me plane the paddle, and Seephra and Elizabeth, Heni’s nine-year-old twin daughters, helped me sand it. As keeping with Ndjuka tradition, I rounded the head and shaped the base with a knife.

My paddle is now functional. My last step is to paint it, and for that I’m taking lessons. An elderly man named Da Medae is teaching me the artwork and symbolism of timbae, an ancient Ndjuka method of woodcarving and painting. I have taken several lessons from Medae already, but to go deeper will require time. I’ve taken pictures of about twenty-five paddles, and having studied them, it is rare that I find a layout, motif, or color sequence that I have not seen before. Medae assures me that some of the shapes and colors that I have seen repeatedly, are mere copies of what the artist has seen elsewhere or follows the sequence of what looks good (light blue, dark blue, or green background with a clearly distinguishable interior design of usually red and white). I feel my teacher is somewhat hesitant to teach me the significance of all the symbols at once, and I need to demonstrate my commitment to learn. After some time, I plan to paint my paddle with a combination of Ndjuka art and my own design. This will be the last stage.