Coconut-grater stool, mid 20th century
Swahiliexpand_more
Wood, metalexpand_more
Gift of funds from Richard Venegarexpand_more 2009.1
On View in Gallery 254expand_more
You’d be hard-pressed to identify this mysterious, almost dangerous-looking object—unless you’re familiar with coconut grating along the Swahili coast of East Africa. Then it’s fairly straightforward: you sit on the stool and scrape the inside of an opened coconut on the protruding metal blade. The coconut shavings are collected and later pushed through a sieve to make coconut milk. The X-shape of the stool resembles a Qur’an stand, while the geometric designs show both Arab and Indian influences on Swahili culture.
Details
- Title
- Coconut-grater stool
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2009.1
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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