White coast beaches, crystal clear water of the ocean, tropical sun, exotic fruits ... In Tuvalu, people have preserved not just pristine nature but also the ancient crafts of the islanders. To be precise, the women islanders. In one of the most developed cities of the Funafuti country, there is a Female Craft Center.

The center is one of the several sights of the island state. Handicrafts of residents are sold not only inside the country, but also delivered to neighboring states. That is the product that Tuvalu is famous for. The secrets of these items making are inherited from generation to generation. On the market, with a grandmother, you can see a little girl making a doll, beads or a shell figure. 

All the products are handmade in a single copy and of natural materials. The craftswomen find the materials in the Pacific Ocean and tropical forests: shells, corals of various shapes and colors, mollusk shells, dried flowers, bark and palm leaves ... It is amazing how limitless the human imagination is, and how easy a skillful artisan can turn an ordinary thing to a piece of art. 

The first thing people notice on the market - the abundance of colors. The products are sparkling on the sun in all kinds of shades like tropical forests. On the small benches are placed the decorations, mirrors, hairbrushes, wicker baskets, bags, masks, figures of wood and clay, palm bark and leaves, dream catchers with beads and colorful feathers, flower garlands. Pay attention to the collection of shell figures. Every little item reflects the inner world of the master. You can find a thing made specially for you.

The women living on the island are all friendly people having fluent English. They can tell the story of every single figure, what it symbolizes, what ancient beliefs are connected with it, how people should use it to avoid the “curse of evil spirits”. There you get to a unique authentic world, so you can buy an original souvenir reminding of a trip to Tuvalu.

The name “Women’s Craft Center” is not right. Apart from women, some men work there. They weave clothes, dishes, bags and various cases of palm leaves. Also, they process an amber, used for the items. They make the figures themselves or give it to women to make crafts. 

The sound from the forge, hidden from the eyes of tourists, often interrupts the voices of merchants. People can make you not only a horseshoe for happiness but also a rare graceful ornament or talisman of metal.