Boran Milk Jug Kenya MATTER COLLECTION

Traditional milk jug used by the Borana people of Kenya. These vessels were typically carved from wood or made from gourd and used for storing and serving milk, an essential part of Boran pastoral life. Many were smoked over a fire to preserve the milk and give the interior a dark patina. Functional yet beautifully shaped, Boran milk containers reflect the importance of cattle and dairy traditions in daily life.

The Borana people are a pastoralist group of the larger Oromo culture living in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. Their society centers around cattle herding, with milk and livestock playing a key role in daily life, wealth, and social traditions. The Borana are also known for their traditional Gadaa age-grade system, which organizes leadership and community governance.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much.

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