Mondo Mundo

MONDO TRADING COMPANY is a striking new store in Vancouver located on Granville Island which immediately drew my attention. Their handmade and one-of-a-kind products from over 30 countries brought me back to travelling to far away places.

Beautiful Handmade Baskets from Kenya and Ghana

Whenever I’ve travelled I always look for well made artisan products that are unique and specific to the region to bring home. I have many pieces around my home that always bring me back to a particular time and place. Everything from African Zulu baskets to pottery and artwork. I flew home from Brazil with seven large original oil paintings that were on wood canvas. I refused to remove them from their frames so my friend had to order a limo to meet me at the airport to bring them home. I brought 8 large hand painted Armenian pottery dishes back from the old city of Jerusalem, among other breakables. From Jamaica, a large wood carved fish and a carved rasta stick – a fish and a stick! I’ll leave it at that. You get the picture.

So I can relate to Carolyn Hopkinson who is the owner.

Carolyn’s mission is to improve the lives of makers by supporting their craft and providing a fair and sustainable income.

Carolyn’s passion for travel started from her childhood days, growing up in Guyana, South America with a father who travelled the world on business. His gifts represented a world that she wanted to explore. I understand the feeling.

After following her passion and exploring countries around the world for the past 40 years, she discovered some of the most beautiful handiwork from local artisans with no resources to market their handicrafts outside their communities.

She would fill her suitcase with their treasures and return home with the promise that one day she would make a difference in these artisans lives. Now she is.