Working in the Fields: Nigerian Hoe

Nigerian Hoe

Figure 126. Nigerian Hoe

In Africa, the hoe is widely used. In this photo, Jane Vernon displays a hoe she bought in Nigeria. It is not a part of the hewn-timber cabins collection but is shown here to illustrate the short handles typical of African hoes. Curious about why they have such short handles, I was told that in the same way that Frenchmen speak French and Germans speak German, various cultures have different body languages. West Africans are more apt to work bending at the hips and they prefer short-handled hoes. (Photo 1998)