This lappa or colorful cloth Nativity is made by Eva Paye in Monrovia, capital of Liberia. The set includes 10 figures: Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, an angel dressed in white, a shepherd with staff, two sheep, and three wise men with gifts. Each wise man has a cowrie shell on his headdress. The artisan’s attention to detail and the careful stitching are impressive. St. Joseph and Mary are dressed in the same fabric for unity.
Eva survived the Second Liberian Civil War by hiding in The Bush during the fighting. Eva lost her husband in the war and now cares for her children alone. She has developed her own original craft designs to support her family. Eva sews her Nativity figures using the local colorful cloth known as lappa in Liberia.
