Fly Whisk Item Number: 3480/3 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Fly whisk, consisting of a tooth handle and long strands of white horse hair. Handle has an angled end, and two rings of silver-coloured metal along its length. Top of handle flares out into a semi-circle, with a long wooden rod protruding from the top. Metal wire wrapped around base of rod, with a looped tie, for hanging purposes. Rod is covered in grey and dark brown fibre, woven into design of alternating diagonal lines. Horse hair extends from the sides, front and top of the rod. Hair curves downward naturally, thinning out towards end of whisk.
Ceremonial whisks, called 'chera' have been used in the Christian Ethiopian empire for centuries by those of rank, such as elders, clergy and royalty.
Acquired by the donor's grandfather, who was an Italian civil servant in Italian occupied Ethiopia; thought to have been collected by him in the 1930s.