Description: DESCRIPTION: Rare, vintage Wai Wai tribal decorated cassava grater from the Amazonian jungle in Guyana or Brazil. I have found a couple of others of these online and they are generally dated to the mid 20th century. I also found a 1955 National Geographic article with a picture of a woman making one of these on her lap with the following caption: "Chips of Stone Driven into a Spongy Board Make an Effective Cassava Grater British Guiana's savanna Indians subsist on cassava meal, but they have lost the art of making cassava graters. For these they must rely on the more primitive Wai Wai .... Charlie (page 338) periodically makes trips "outside" to swap Wai Wai graters for beads, knives, and other trade items. When this woman finishes her tedious task, she will apply a coat of milky latex to keep the chips from falling out." The piece offered here Is made of wood and measures about 9 3/4" by 18 1/4" by 1/2" thick. It contains a large field of sharp, chipped stone in a black matrix (latex, I believe). The ends, edges, and back side of the board have painted geometric decoration in black. There is also a stylized human stick figure on back, which may identify the maker, or just be a part of the decoration. Excellent, vintage condition with normal handling wear commensurate with its age. Original, as found patina. Free Domestic Shipping! ________________________________________________________________ MULTIPLE PURCHASES: I will gladly combine items for a savings on shipping! PAYMENT: Payment is requested within 3 days of the closing date of the auction. INSURANCE: Insurance is included in the shipping cost for this item. SHIPPING: I normally ship within 24 hours of payment receipt. Rare exceptions would be due to illness, emergencies, extra large items requiring a special shipping container, or if handling time is otherwise specified in the item description above. RETURNS: I do not accept returns. If you have a MAJOR issue with your item being not as described, please contact me and I will attempt to work things out. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: I do not accept returns on International shipments. It is therefore very important to read the item description carefully and ask any questions prior to bidding/buying.
Price: 199 USD
Location: Prescott, Arizona
End Time: 2025-01-08T23:16:16.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
Country/Region of Manufacture: Brazil
Handmade: Yes
