WOOD CARVER

Carving is probably Africa's second biggest industry after tourism. Wherever tourists go, tradesmen hawk dozens or hundreds of carvings most of which start life as block of wood (some stone pieces are available). Artisans such as the one pictured at Mukuni Village near Livingstone, Zambia, hand carve formulaic pieces designed to attract the tourist dollar (in this case a wooden hippopotamus). These curios are nice souvenirs but offer little insight into African art or creativity.