Vamizi Pompoms

Our pompoms are handmade from cut strips of printed locally typical cotton fabric. So far it is a handful of dedicated and diligent ladies from Lance Village, situated at the western tip of Vamizi Island, who are our crafting stars.

With the men away for weeks on long fishing tours, the women are very often left to fend for themselves and, although a close knit and strong minded community, the pompom craft provides a welcome and sustainable source of income while being a pleasant pastime among friends.

The income generated from the pompoms allows the children to go to school, where we provide free food for all children. This, in turn, prevents the need to forage for food in the shallow waters and provides mothers with financial stability and independence. We hope that over time, their confidence will grow so they realise more of their abilities.

However, the so called ‘local’ fabrics are, sadly, imports from China and India from a stockpile of traditional patterns only. Hopefully, one day local fabric production can be reintroduced, reviving a tradition once integral to the history of Northern Mozambique and the whole east coast of Africa.

The idea of pompoms was initiated by Kate Daudy, a London-based artist. In her work she is using pompoms made by women from many walks of life in many different materials. As traditional wool is not particularly suitable for our island, the idea of strips of local fabric was a logical conclusion and with it the colourful, unique and very distinct Vamizi Pompom was born.