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John Omar Woodcarver

Uzuri Handcrafts

By Naima OmarPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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This is his grandson who shall remain nameless

John Omar is an artist and philosopher who took a vow of poverty as a young man. He does not believe that taking a vow of poverty will increase one's social standing but says that it can do wonders for one's social understanding. He obtained valuable knowledge from the wise people he met while hitchhiking between Cleveland, OH, Atlanta, Georgia, and other locations in the 60s and 70s. He started carving wood in 1972 to spread African culture. Many of his works feature sacred symbols from the continent. The picture at the top features a Gye Nyame, Ankh, and Sankofa. The Gye Nyame and Sankofa are popular Adinkra symbols Gye Nyame symbolizes the sole omnipotence of God. The Sankofa symbolizes learning from the past. The Ankh you may recognize as an Egyptian symbol sometimes called the Key of Life. African necklaces may not be as trendy as they were in the 1980s but they are still available from Uzuri Handcrafts. Uzuri is a Swahili word that means beauty.

John Omar learned auto mechanics at Metro Atlanta Skills Center from 1975 to 1976. His most valuable education was obtained at The Peoples University, also known as the Cleveland Public Library. He worked at various jobs like driving a cab and working as a carpenter. He made freelance woodcarving his main vocation in 1973. He is well known among the Afrocentric artistic citizens of Cleveland, OH, and has friends and associates worldwide. He is acutely aware of the difference between genuine friendship and fair-weather friendship. From my perspective, it seems that his social standing is more than adequate. There have been many times when I was out and about and someone came up to me and said, "You are John Omar’s daughter, aren't you? You look just like your Dad." They always ask about his well-being and seem genuinely interested. When I was a child, he was always stopping to help people in need. He didn't work in a garage, but he used his mechanical skills to get stranded motorist moving again.

Mr. Omar uses a combination of small hand tools and power tools to create a wide variety of objects from different types of wood. His work is primarily decorative, but he makes many practical objects, including canes, clocks, and chairs. One of his most popular items is the Kinara, a candle holder used in Kwanzaa celebrations. He often makes custom orders for people who want a unique symbol or logo, and he repairs furniture.

Kinara featuring an Ankh

His first store was called Peak of Elegance: it was located on Euclid in East Cleveland. There was a beautiful sign in front that featured a regal woman wearing a fancy headdress. Many of his early works featured people and animals. They were usually made to be hung on walls and were sometimes recreations of photographs. His current shop is located on Lee Rd in Cleveland Heights, between Cedar and Derbyshire. It is a small space on the second floor above Rumor Salon. He spends most of his day there working. He is 6 years past the traditional retirement age yet still refuses to take holidays off. He also takes pleasure in teaching his grandsons the art of woodworking. If you live in Greater Cleveland, you may have seen John Omar at one of the many summer festivals such as The Hessler street fair or The Murtis Taylor festival that later became the Sanaa Cultural Arts Festival. In recent years. Mr. Omar has expanded his influence by traveling to events in various cities. You may have seen him in D.C., Atlanta, or Indianapolis at some story-tellers convention or homeschooling expo.

African shaped clock

Despite his keen social understanding, John Omar does not recommend taking a vow of poverty. He does recommend independent thinking, research, and cooperation. His work is available at GiftsbyNaima and Uzuri Handcrafts. He doesn’t spend much time or energy marketing his work as he is too busy producing it and spending time with his grandsons.

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About the Creator

Naima Omar

I'm a mother of two boys with a boring desk job and a good imagination.

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