The technique
Banana bark art is made by cutting the dried bark of the banana tree into tiny slivers and pasting them together into a picture. It is slow, exacting work and very hard to do without flaws — which, in practice, is why no two pieces are alike. The bark dries to a surprising range of natural tones, from pale straw through to near-black, and that palette is the whole medium: no dye is used.
Subjects are usually scenes of Rwandan life — carrying water, working a field, drumming, cattle. It travels flat and light, which makes it one of the more practical things to take home.
The visit
You visit a women's association that also weaves baskets and mats from banana bark. They show how the weaving is done and hand it over for you to try, which is when the difficulty of the technique becomes obvious. Pieces are for sale directly, with the money going to the association rather than through a retailer.
Where it fits
Short, indoor, and unaffected by weather — which makes it the reliable fallback on a wet Musanze afternoon. It sits well beside the market and cooking session, and if craft is the reason you are here, see the broader handicraft cooperatives page and the imigongo tradition in the east.