Coconut Husk Carving: A Unique Art Form of Seychelles

Donatien Fréminot was sixteen years old, bored in secondary school on Mahé, when he chose the craft study option mostly to see what it was about. The teacher assigned to his class was a man named Mr Lin, originally from Hainan, China. Lin handed Fréminot a coconut shell and showed him how to shape it into an ashtray. That first lesson, around 1984, set Fréminot on a path that would lead him to represent Seychelles at international craft fairs in Paris, Algeria, Botswana, and India, and to spend up to six months carving a single sculpture from the shell of a coco de mer.

Coconut husk carving in Seychelles is not an ancient tradition. It is a living practice shaped by a specific cross-cultural encounter between a Chinese teacher and Seychellois students, sustained today by a small network of artisans who adapt techniques from Hainan to the endemic materials of their islands. This article traces that story — from Mr Lin’s classroom to the workshops of contemporary carvers, and the questions they face about authenticity, innovation, and survival.

The table above maps the main practitioners and traditions. Fréminot’s work represents the most direct line from the Hainan exchange, while Simon Marie and Zilida Cassimir represent independent paths into coconut-based craft.

The China-Seychelles Connection: How Hainan Techniques Arrived in the Indian Ocean

The story of coconut carving in Seychelles begins not with an ancient island tradition but with a teacher from Hainan.

Mr Lin arrived in Seychelles around 1984, part of a broader pattern of educational and cultural exchange between China and the small island nation. He taught at the secondary school that Fréminot attended, and his methods were practical: take a coconut shell, envision a useful object, and shape it with hand tools. Fréminot’s first project — an ashtray — was modest, but the technique opened a door. Lin taught carving and sculpture techniques that Fréminot would refine over the next 38 years.

In 2017, the connection deepened. Two experts from Hainan — Wu Mingju, vice chairman of the Hainan Folk Artists Association and a provincial successor of coconut carving arts, and Lin Hui, an assistant carving artist — traveled to Seychelles to conduct workshops. They demonstrated tools and techniques at the Mayor’s Office in Victoria, and Fréminot attended. Until then, he had used only four types of chisels. The Hainan experts introduced him to new tools that allowed finer detail in his work.

Wu Mingju noted during the 2017 visit that coconut is a popular raw material in Seychelles — light, takes fine detail, less expensive and easier to work with than stone. The goal of the workshops was to show Seychellois how to gain maximum value from abundant coconuts, a principle that Hainan artisans had practiced for centuries. Coconut carving in China dates back more than 500 years, and Hainan’s folk art tradition using coconut shell is over a thousand years old.

Fréminot traveled to Hainan twice, spending a month each time in Haikou to extend his skills. He found the versatility of coconut impressive and gained experience that would shape his approach to the coco de mer.

Note: The relationship between Seychelles and Hainan in coconut carving is one of active exchange, not passive borrowing. Fréminot adapted what he learned to local materials and his own artistic vision.

The Material: Coco de Mer and the Coconut Shell

The coconut itself determines what a carver can make.

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is abundant across Seychelles, but the most prized material for carvers is the shell of the coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica), the endemic palm that grows only on Praslin and Curieuse islands. The coco de mer produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom, and its hard, dense shell takes fine detail well. Fréminot’s masterpieces — including a black parrot carved in remembrance of Mr Lin — are made from coco de mer. He researched feather structure, convex and concave carving, and layered feather manipulation to create the piece.

Simon Marie, working in Anse Royale, uses both coconut shell and local wood, especially kalis dipap, which he describes as soft and easy to carve. He uses power tools to create tortoises, fish, and sea turtles, then polishes and varnishes them. He describes coconut shell as strong and durable, suitable for small decorative objects. The reopening of Mize Koko in 2023 marked an effort to preserve and display these craft traditions for visitors.

The carving process varies by artist. Fréminot works by hand with chisels, and a single masterpiece can take up to six months. He completed only two such pieces in his 38-year career. Simon Marie uses power tools for speed and precision, producing both individual pieces and small quantities for sale.

The Artists Keeping the Craft Alive

Three practitioners, three different paths into coconut-based craft.

Donatien Fréminot teaches part-time at the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD), where he encourages students to use abundant natural resources — coconut shell wood, palm seeds — to make art more cheaply than buying expensive imported materials. He emphasizes innovating ideas from environmental resources, pointing to China’s economic success from using surrounding materials. He has represented Seychelles at international events including the Salon Mondiale du Tourisme in Paris and the Surajkund International Craft Mela in Haryana, India.

Simon Marie of Mont Plaisir, Anse Royale, took a different route. He has no formal training in carving apart from a few sessions organized by the Small Enterprise Promotion Agency (Senpa) and the Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa), focused on packaging and labeling. He believes his interest in handicraft came from his mother, a teacher who taught handicraft for decades. He does his own research to improve his work and create new pieces. But he worries that many artisans lack creativity and that some import handicraft items in bulk from abroad, modify them, and sell them as locally made. “Visitors know these pieces are not locally made,” he told the Seychelles Nation. He urges government agencies to address the practice.

Zilida Cassimir of Grand Anse, Mahé, has over 40 years of experience in handicraft work. She learned doll-making from a foreign lady at La Misère around age 18, using a Butterfly brand manual sewing machine, and later expanded into items made from tanmi koko and rafya — fruit baskets, table mats, lampshades, and bags. She has sold at hotels, souvenir shops, and the Victoria Market. Her main challenge is the availability of quality raw materials. She sources some materials locally but brings a significant amount from Mauritius. She regrets that not many young people want to commit to producing original handicraft items. “One can earn a living from handicraft if determined, eager to innovate, and passionate about the work,” she said.

Context and Comparison: Seychelles and Hainan

Coconut carving exists in both places, but the contexts could hardly be more different.

The comparison reveals how the same basic technique — carving a coconut shell — takes on completely different meanings depending on scale, history, and infrastructure. In Seychelles, it is a fragile, individual practice. In Hainan, it is a provincial craft with institutional support. The applied arts of Seychelles more broadly include weaving, woodcarving, and jewelry-making, each with its own relationship to local materials and global markets.

A quick heads up — some links here are affiliate links. If you buy through them, it costs you nothing extra but earns IslandHopperGuides a small commission. Honestly, that’s a big part of what funds the travel and research that goes into guides like this one. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases — and I really do appreciate the support.

Questions Readers Ask About Coconut Husk Carving in Seychelles

Is coconut carving a traditional Seychellois craft?

Not in the sense of a pre-colonial tradition. The practice was introduced in the 1980s by a teacher from Hainan, China. It has since developed into a distinctive local art form, especially through the use of coco de mer.

Some accounts in tourist materials describe it as “traditional,” but the historical record points to a more recent, cross-cultural origin.

Where can I see coconut carving being done in Seychelles?

The Mize Koko Museum at Domaine Val de Pres in Au Cap, Mahé, offers demonstrations and exhibitions. The museum reopened in 2023 and is run by the Creative Seychelles Agency. Contact CSA for current demonstration schedules.

Artisans like Simon Marie sometimes work at open-air markets and roadside stands on Mahé and Praslin, though schedules are irregular.

How do I know if a coconut shell souvenir is actually made in Seychelles?

Ask the seller directly. Simon Marie has publicly stated that some vendors import coconut shell items from abroad and sell them as local. Look for signs of hand-finishing, slight asymmetries, and ask about the maker. Locally carved pieces cost more but carry the skill of the carver.

Artists like Donatien Fréminot and Simon Marie are known by name and their work can be traced.

Why is coco de mer used for carving?

Coco de mer produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom, and its shell is hard, dense, and takes fine detail well. The tree grows only on Praslin and Curieuse islands, making the material endemic and distinctive. Carvers like Fréminot prize it for masterpieces that require months of work.

The harvest of coco de mer is regulated, and the nut itself is protected under Seychelles law.

Are there classes or workshops for visitors?

The Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD) offers formal training, but this is for enrolled students, not drop-in visitors. The Mize Koko Museum plans to offer participatory demonstrations, but as of 2023 these were focused on de-husking and grating rather than carving.

For a structured experience, consider a cultural tour of Seychelles that may include artisan visits and craft demonstrations.

What Coconut Carving Reveals About Seychelles

The practice of coconut husk carving in Seychelles is not a window into an ancient past. It is a window into how a small island nation adapts, borrows, and creates value from what grows around it. The story begins with a teacher from Hainan and continues with artists who spend months on a single sculpture, who worry about imported imitations, who teach part-time at the national art institute, and who source materials from Mauritius because local supplies are scarce. It is a story of exchange, not isolation — and that is what makes it worth understanding.

For more on the natural and cultural context of these islands, read about the sacred trees of Seychelles and their cultural significance.

Sources and further reading

Kreol Magazine. “The Creative Genius of Donatien Fréminot.” 2022. 🔗

Tropical Hainan. “Hainan Experts Teach Coconut Carving Techniques in Seychelles.” 2017. 🔗

Inside Seychelles. “Mize Koko Reopens in Seychelles.” 2023. 🔗

Seychelles Nation. “Local Artisans Determined to Continue Producing Original Handicraft Work.” 🔗

Related reading on IslandHopperGuides

Seychelles Creole Language: A Linguistic Tapestry of Influences — The linguistic parallel to the cross-cultural story of coconut carving.

Rare Glimpses into Seychelles’ Past: Discovering Pre-Colonial History — How deeper histories of the islands complicate the story of “tradition.”