item details
NameGember
ProductionUnknown; maker/artist; circa 2013; Somalia
Classificationstools
Materialspine, leather
Materials SummaryPine legs and cow leather seat
DimensionsOverall: 370mm (width), 304mm (height), 380mm (depth)
Registration NumberGH024796
Credit lineGift of Mohamed Abdulaziz Mohamed, 2016
Overview
This traditional Somalian stool, known as a 'gember' on the coast of Somalia or a 'gambar' in rural areas. It was brought to New Zealand by Mohamed Abdulaziz Mohamed.
The stool was made in Jowhar, a rural area of Somalia where they specialise in making the stools. The design on the top is typical, although there are many different versions in a different but similar style.
Mohamed was a refugee who came to live in New Zealand in 1997. The stool and other items donated are traditional everyday Somali objects that could not be obtained in New Zealand. They were acquired by Mohamed as a valued reminder of his cultural origins and so that he could continue with some aspects of his Somalian way of life.