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This fly whisk is created using native grasses and glass beads. Fly whisks served two purposes in African cultures: they were functional tools to deter flies but were also used as prestige items, particularly fly whisks created using hair and carved wood. Whisks like these, with the patterned beading and indigenous grasses, were found in literally every corner of Africa. There are examples that look very similar to this found in Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Blue and green seem to be a common color for the beading.