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My name is Hasana Saho. I’ve been selling African imports for years and truly love every item I offer. Now, I want to share these beautiful, handcrafted pieces with a wider audience. I’m excited to bring the rich culture and artistry of Africa to people around the world. Being born and raised in Ghana, I’ve grown up with many of the products we have to offer, but I still haven’t become jaded to their beauty.
Not only do we offer a variety of great works from Ghana, but we also showcase pieces from all over Africa—mainly West Africa. As we continue to grow, so will our list of countries, thanks to your continued support. Thank you for becoming a part of the journey I started so many years ago. I hope to please and satisfy everyone in the online space just as I do with my customers in person.
As I mentioned, I’ve always sold African imports, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that I shifted my focus heavily to online sales. This transition led to the creation of Mother Africa Arts. Our mission is to offer premium, high-quality products and exceptional service to a global audience. We aim to make our unique items accessible to everyone, anywhere, at any time, while maintaining the personal touch and care that our customers have come to expect.
My name is Ahamed Saho, and I am the Digital Manager of Mother Africa Arts. I am in charge of our online presence and take great pride in doing so. My goal is to build upon everything my mother has already created while preserving the integrity of the brand. As the world continues to move further into the digital age, businesses that don’t evolve with the times are at risk of being left behind.
I didn’t want that to happen to my mother’s business, so I took the reins and have been working hard to improve Mother Africa Arts’ online reputation. I hope to create a positive name and image in the online space, just as my mother has done in the physical world for all these years.
I’ve been doing this ever since I came to the United States 40 years ago. Although the business has changed and evolved, it still has the same soul that I’ve nurtured for years and continue to do so.
Traveling and moving around were key parts of our early business. As immigrants to the USA, we did what we could to get by and found our way by selling at flea markets.
Due to the land being sold where the flea market was housed we had to relocate in 2017.
“The Tesuque Flea Market (Santa Fe New Mexican). was a thriving spot for years after “Trader” Jack Daniels started it in the 1980s. People would line up six deep to see what new treasures their favorite vendors had for sale. Vendors — about 100 back then — vied for space at the market.
Easily visible from Interstate 25, the 10-acre market had free parking, pets were allowed and deals were plentiful on rugs, exotic spices, jewelry and more. Open on weekends from March through December, it was a fun place to spend an afternoon.”
A handful of vendors from the Tesuque Flea Market teamed up to purchase land on a plot near the Buffalo Thunder Casino. Although this venture was short-lived, it helped us vendors significantly. We were still searching for a more permanent spot, but everything came to an end when vendor numbers started to dwindle, and the introduction of COVID-19 made things even more difficult.
With nowhere to sell our products in person, my son decided we needed an online presence. We had no formal name at the time, so after some brainstorming, the name Mother Africa Arts was born. It’s a name that not only stands out in the online space but also carries meaning and tells our story.
Our logo draws inspiration from the patterns of the Kuba cloth, a beautiful piece of fabric from the Congo.
Since 2022, you can find us in person at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We’re open on Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM and Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. El Mercado is El Museo’s arts and culture market, featuring over 60 vendors offering a diverse array of goods from around the corner and around the world. Visitors can browse art, jewelry, herbal remedies, textiles, beads, tapestries, books, furniture, and more, all either handmade or carefully curated.
We are grateful for the opportunity to be hosted here, and as our business continues to expand, we hope to see our own shop in the future.”
