African Wooden Carved Food Paddle Tanzania Rohner Collection

This carved wooden food paddle from Tanzania features a long handle and a broad, flat paddle-shaped blade. Objects of this type were used in food preparation and serving, reflecting the practical craftsmanship of traditional East African woodworking. Tanzania is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups, each with distinct artistic traditions and approaches to everyday objects. The carved form of this paddle highlights the skill involved in shaping wood into a functional utensil, while also offering an example of traditional material culture from the region.

Provenance: John R. Rohner Collection
Rohner, a museum curator for decades, aimed his practiced eye for authenticity to African art beginning in the early 1980s. His passion for this art only grew through the decades he built his collection––always with an aim for a broad and representative array of pieces. The collection appears in his book, Art Treasures from African Runners (2000, University Press of Colorado). 

Item #784 on pg. 267

Height (in): 13.5
Width (in): 4.0
Depth (in): 0.75

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