Have a good journey

Positioned between the sliding doors at the entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, this may seem like just another exquisite piece of art in the resort’s collection, but there is so much to gleam from this exhibit.

This carving is, in fact, a door which makes its placement in the resort a perfect spot. The joined planks of this door have been chip carved by the Nupe people. The Nupe reside at the convergence of the Niger and Kaduna rivers in Nigeria, where they make their living fishing and trading. They are, as well, highly skilled artisans, working with everything from metal to beads in forms including weaving, carving, and embroidery.

Carved doors, often a sign of prosperity, are generally plain on one side with their embellishment facing outward. However, if we are to believe the placard next to the door adorning Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Nupe believe that laying a hand upon the door will grant you good luck or, as the sign states, “send you safely into the future.”