| The wooden dough bowl is a true expression of Indian | | | | called a metate. The dough bowl is used to catch the |
| art and Native style living. In the northern part of | | | | flour at one end of the metate as it is ground. Water is |
| Mexico, high in the mountain regions, the Tarahumara | | | | then added to the flour in the bowl and tortillas are |
| people have rugged lifestyles and live in humble | | | | made by hand from the dough. Although still used by |
| dwellings. They make handcrafts, like wooden dough | | | | the Tarahumara people for food and other cooking |
| bowls, in order to earn a living. I have always | | | | purposes, today dough bowls are made available to |
| appreciated the intricate baskets, weavings, jewelry | | | | the public for rustic home decorating and as Indian art |
| and other hand-crafted items created by this Tribe. It is | | | | for collection. |
| fascinating that although the women are primarily in | | | | You will find a way to use dough bowls for many |
| charge of making the handcrafts, the Tarahumara | | | | things. They look great as collectibles, fruit bowls, and |
| men enjoy working with wood and create exquisite | | | | when used with rustic decorating accessories. They |
| pieces of art using simple and unsophisticated tools. | | | | are also great when used for art projects when a |
| Along with wooden dough bowls, they also carve | | | | blank canvas is needed for rustic style paintings and |
| wooden spoons, figurines and traditional game balls to | | | | other Native American style artwork. Dough bowls, |
| use in traditional foot races. These items made of | | | | painted with southwestern, Native American and |
| wood have a rustic beauty, complimented by the | | | | western designs and scenes, are very popular and are |
| nature and quality of the wood. | | | | a great way to bring the old west to life in your home |
| You will also find it fascinating how the traditional dough | | | | decorating. A painted dough bowl is a wonderful main |
| bowls are made. The fashioning of the wooden bowl | | | | feature for any Native style room, cabin, lodge or |
| is begun by hand chiseling a piece of native yellow pine | | | | ranch style home by using the rich warm colors unique |
| taken from a fallen tree trunk. American Indian log | | | | to Native style art. |
| bowls are made by splitting the trunk in half and then | | | | You can buy wooden dough bowls online and in many |
| roughly cutting it with an axe. The wood is then carved | | | | stores that sell southwestern and American Indian |
| into a bowl like shape with a machete or large knife, | | | | style home decorating items. It is easy to give genuine |
| giving it that one of a kind, rugged and hand-crafted | | | | Native style to your home, or to give your room splash |
| design. This classic style is the same way that antique | | | | of color by including a rustic, painted dough bowl along |
| dough bowls have been made throughout the | | | | with your decor. If you like the timeless customs and |
| mountain region for centuries. | | | | American Indian way of life, you will love having a |
| As you learn about these interesting Native people, | | | | piece of their amazing artwork as part of your home |
| you will discover that the wooden dough bowl is very | | | | decorating. To add true Native culture to your home |
| important to the Tarahumara home. It is used to | | | | and produce a look that is definitely authentic, try |
| hand-grind corn and wheat to make hand-made | | | | adding a genuine native style wooden dough bowl to |
| tortillas, an essential part to the Tarahumara diet. They | | | | your home decor. |
| then begin by breaking the kernels into a stone bowl | | | | |