Dedza Malawi Nativity Set

Every once in a while, we find a nativity set that surprises me in a delightful way. This is such a set. Diane discovered it on eBay (the great marketplace for nativity sets!). From the photos on eBay, I thought it was interesting, but the clay sculpting seemed kind of crude. When it arrived, and I saw it in person, however, I had a completely different experience. The detail is much finer than I had expected, and the faces and postures show the character of the people in the scene. It also feels like this captures a spirit of the Malawi culture.

Each piece is stamped on the bottom with “Dedza Malawi”, which is a pottery studio south of Lake Malawi, run as a family business but employing over 100 people. See below for more about Dedza Pottery.

Established in 1987, Dedza Pottery was co-founded by Christopher Stevens and Charity Stevens. Internationally recognised as an established pottery business, the company employs over 100 people and plays an important role in local communities and in Malawi’s tourism industry.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Christopher Stevens has been potting for over 40 years and has worked in different potteries in Europe. He came out to Malawi in the late 1970s, as a volunteer, to start a pottery business in Malindi at an old mission station at the south of Lake Malawi. At that time Malawi had plenty of firewood and the production was hand thrown and wood fired. He met Charity and at the end of his contract in Malawi, in the early 1980s, they set up a pottery on Crete in Greece. In 1987 they returned to Malawi, and in October of that year Dedza Pottery sold its first pots. Since then the pottery has been operational as a family business. Many of the senior staff have been with the business since the beginning and there are in‑house staff training programs to develop talent and skills.

In the Hands of God – Malawi

“Have you ever seen the hands of God?” That was a favorite conversation starter of mine when I was hosting for Bellevue Festival of the Nativity, and I had this carving on display. Invariably, the person to whom I asked this question would look at me quizzically and then say “no.” I would lead them to this carving, and show how Jesus, Mary and Joseph are held in the loving hands of our Heavenly Father, as are we all.

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Of those who had seen the carving on display before our conversation, a few had noticed the hands, but many had not. The woman who originally purchased this in Malawi and owned it for 28 years before selling it on eBay had never noticed them, and it was not obvious from the single photo in her eBay listing. It wasn’t until we unpacked the carving and set it out that we discovered fingers, hands, and arms where we expected to see stems and vines!

This truly beautiful and unusual carving was hand-carved at the Kungoni Art Center, Mua Mission, Malawi in 1989. The carving displays a unique mode of expression which is both African and Christian. The models for the piece were members of the Maseko clan of the Ngoni people who live in the hills above Mua Mission. Their striking and handsome appearance made them an ever popular subject for the local carvers. At that early time in the history of the Kungoni Art Center, the art of wood carving was not as wide spread as it is now and the carvings were limited in number and high in quality. Carvers were few in number, and only the more talented were accepted for further training. This piece was obviously done by one of the best carvers at the time.

The symbolism of the hands represents the belief that all of creation is in the care of our Heavenly Father. All people, plants and animals are supported by his grace and blessings, with life, health, and happiness flowing from his bounteous hands.

Origin	Malawi
Material	Carved Wood
Height	18″
Purchase Date	2017
Purchase Location	eBay