Our partner from Ivory Coast visited us this week. Unfortunately he had to leave before the container shipment got here.
He explained to me how he gets the wood. They are using Iroko, Lenke (lenge), and something tht he calls "Free Wood".
Anyway for the Iroko wood they go to fields where it is already being cut, he is not allowed to go into the forest to get it. A carver puts a whole into it, another carver carves the shape. Another carver (his job) is to carve out the inside.
The Lenke wood is more expensive and denser. We have some Lenke (Lenge) shells and whole djembes from Ivory Coast. They are beautiful.
The Free Wood seems to be lighter in weight. He says that it comes in 4 colors. If I understood correctly it is the easiest to get. I was trying to figure out what "Free Wood" is. It maybe Tweneboa, but I cannot find reference to it.
Our partners favorite is the Iroko although he said good things about he other two woods.