Old Large Borana Milk Jug – Gorfa – South Ethiopia

Mid 20th century. Woven vegetal fibres, cowries shells, wooden lid. Cm. 31,0 high x cm. 18,0 width (12.20″ x 7.09″).

The gorfa is made from woven vegetal fibres and  inside there is an black encrusted patina which makes this milk jug waterproof. It is used to store frsh or curdeled milk. The container, the cowries shells and the milk symbolize the ideal combination of abundance and fertility.

The Borana, Gabbra and Sakuye peoples are sub-ethnic groups within the Oromo people group, and share language and culture. Some groups from the Oromo people from southern Ethiopia entered northern Kenya fduring the 16th century. These Borana groups then differentiated into the cattle-keeping, while the Gabbra and Sakuye specialized in camel-keeping. They lived together, each with different pastoral focus.

m20