Zimbabwe means "houses of stone" in the local Shona language. Complex stone structures and walls built without mortar date to the 11th century. Great Zimbabwe was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Read African Elegance (Rizzoli) by Ettagale Blauer, for an inspirational overview of indigenous crafts throughout Africa.

In 1998, One World received an urgent fax from Zimbabwe. Would we be interested in receiving carved serpentine buttons from a squatters’ camp outside the capital, Harare? The conditions in the camp, housing 4500 women and children, were described as “appalling,” with no running water, sewage treatment, clinic, or electricity. The buttons were developed for crocheted purses produced by a micro-enterprise project of Intra-Country People’s Aid and made by two local Shona sculptors, Happy and Blessing.

While the original sculptors have moved on, button production continues-IPA continues as well, with great strides in providing educational, self-help, and early childhood development programs.

Email astrid@ipa.icon.co.zw for a monthly bulletin.

Native serpentine stone ranges in color from black to browns, greens, and red.

Shona mask buttons for One World Button Supply Co.