Woman with Mortar and Pestle

11 x 14” pencil on bristol by Dave Kobrenski.
In West Africa, the mortar and pestle is an essential component of daily life. It is used to pulverize ingredients like cassava, hot pepper, and various herbs and spices used in traditional cuisine. The rhythmic sound of the mortar and pestle can be heard from sun up to sundown throughout the village! Women working together on multiple mortars often use the pounding sound to create deliberate poly-rhythms by opposing their motions, and sing while working.