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- Walking Sticks
- No.01 Makonde Walking Stick
- Wood Origin: Southern Africa (Tanzania region; influenced by DRC tribes) Interesting facts: Wood carving has ancient roots for the Makonde tribe. This is because according to the Makonde creation myth, there was once a single man on earth, who, out of loneliness carved a figure out of wood and set it in the sun. This figure then became a woman…
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- Masks
- No.02 Makonde Mapiko Mask
- Carved Wood Origin: Southern Africa (Mozambique region) Significant interpretation of the work: This mask is called a mapiko or lipiko mask, which in the language of the Makonde people, means "helmet mask." The lipiko mask, often referred to as the mapiko mask shows the depiction of a Makonde woman. The Makonde have a matrilineal social structure (meaning that their ancestry…
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- Masks
- No.20 Makonde Helmet Mask with Taqiyah Carving
- Wood Origin: Southern Africa (Tanzania) Interesting facts: The Arabic influence in Makonde culture is apparent from the Taqiyah (cap) and absence of traditional scarification.
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- Masks
- No.21 Makonde Helmet Mask
- Wood, human hair Origin: Southern Africa (Mozambique) Interesting facts: Unusual in that it does not have scarification but bears the traditional lip plug.
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- Masks
- No.30 Content Makonde Helmet Mask
- Wood, human hair Origin: Southern Africa (Tanzania region) Interesting facts: Lipiko masks, which in the language of the Makonde people means “helmet mask.” The lipiko are also often referred to as mapiko, a term also used for the masquerade dances in which these are worn, as well as in reference to the dancers themselves. The Mapiko helmet mask is worn by…
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- Masks
- No.31 Smiling Makonde Helmet Mask
- Wood, human hair Origin: Southern Africa (Tanzania region) Interesting facts: Lipiko masks, which in the language of the Makonde people means “helmet mask.” The lipiko are also often referred to as mapiko, a term also used for the masquerade dances in which these are worn, as well as in reference to the dancers themselves. The Mapiko helmet mask is worn…
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- Masks
- No.32 Makonde Helmet Mask
- Wood, human hair Origin: Southern Africa (Mozambique region) Interesting facts: An unusually heavy piece. It's difficult to imagine the strength one would require to perform a traditional dance with this helmet on! This is perhaps why it is often noted that dancers enter a trance-like state during rites.
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- Sculptures
- No.35 Makonde Seated Female Figure
- Wood, cloth Origin: Southeast Africa (Mozambique region) Interesting facts: According to Makonde legend, the first man on earth fell asleep after sculpting a female figure out of wood. He awoke to find the statue had become a real woman who was eager to mate with him. The result was many children, and the woman herself became the ancestress of the…
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- Masks
- No.37 Terracotta Makonde Mask
- Teracotta Origin: Southern Africa (Mozambique region) Interesting facts: The present work is a Makonde helmet mask worn by young men during initiation ceremonies. Interestingly, the mask is naked of any characteristic Makonde scarification, lip plug nor filed teeth. This mask represents the female counterpart to the masks for male initiation, since the women perform the initiation of girls and make…
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- Sculptures
- No.44 Makonde Kneeling Female Figure
- Wood Origin: Southeast Africa (Mozambique region) Interesting facts: A mother feeds her baby. The Makonde are almost the only ethnic group in East Africa to create fairly naturalistic sculptures – primarily maternity figures, which are intended to ensure the fertility of the fields and women. Traditionally, Makonde statues that portray women represent the birth and the survival of the Makonde.…
