Coconut grater

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis wooden grater-stool with an iron grating blade was made for sitting and grating coconut.WHERE WAS IT MADE?Coconut graters in this form have been made in Tanzania since the nineteenth century.HOW WAS IT MADE?The grater stool was hand carved from a single piece of wood using tools such as an adze, knives, and chisels.HOW WAS IT USED?Notice the metal scraper blade inserted into the holder on one side of the stool; the coconut is grated on the tiny metal teeth of the projecting blade. The coconut falls into a bowl placed below the blade and is later strained through a sieve to draw out the milk that is used in Tanzanian cooking. The person grating sits on the stool, facing the grating blade. His or her weight helps to stabilize the grater.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?Coconut graters in this form have been made in Tanzania since the nineteenth century. Notice that it is carved from a single piece of wood that is hinged in the middle; in this way it is similar to stands made to hold the Koran. Notice how the presence of Islam is further indicated by the images of mosques on either side of the seat and in the crescents that surmount the structures.The artist carved into the seat a two-part Swahili proverb that speaks to the importance of family in Tanzania: “It is better to be covered by soil, than for a kin to hate you.”