A brief history of the Funzi Furniture.

A brief history...

Mike and Sabine at their newly built home in Keringet Estates.

Funzi Furniture Factory was established in Kenya in 1991 by Michael J Calnan a.k.a. Aussiemike (CV), an Australian by birth. Having travelled most of Europe and Africa during the seventies he now lives and works on the beach in Tiwi just south of Mombasa."......I arrived in Kenya after my first overland journey across the Sahara desert in 1972. After some ten months on the road I arrived at the beach in East Africa and decided to stay...........it was then I recognized in the local traditional craftsmen a wealth of talent laying mainly dormant"."......I have always believed in trade not aid in Africa; all the local people ever needed was a market to exhibit their wares........... they certainly had access to some of the finest woods I have ever seen and their ability to work these woods was extraordinary. "

On sailing holiday in Italy after a delivery. ".....they have an amazing eye for form. They do not, and need not obey the rules of the European philosophy of the straight line. A geometric shape that does not even occur in nature." "....everywhere one looks in Africa, on the beach, or in the bush, there are fascinating pieces of root or driftwood harbouring natures own design , just waiting to be released through a skilfully wielded chisel of an African craftsman and a mountain of sandpaper." These days most of the work of looking after the company is done by Sabine, Mike's Teutonic blonde partner.

Back