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Gallery Ezakwantu

African Art  - Art Africain - Tribal Art -  菲洲艺术 - Afrikanische Kunst

 

Central and Southern African Tribal Art

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African Colonial Figures - Colonial Sculpture

Objets Africains de L’époque Coloniale - Afrikanische Koloniale Objekte

 

 

 

 

 

Luba Kabila Figure

 

Antique Museum Reproduction

 

 

 

 

Female sitting or kneeling bowl figures are among the most impressive objects in Luba sculpture. Little is known of their function other than that such a figure is placed before the house of a woman after childbirth so that passers-by can put gifts of cowries into the bowl.

 

In the past such a figure was referred to as a kabila (“beggar woman”), but according to some recent authors the correct name is mboko (“calabash”). Others feel that the latter designation is only a cover because the Luba consider uttering the real but secret name, kitompa kya muchi (“divination bowl of wood”), dangerous.  

 

There are several types of bowl-holding figures, whose functions differ throughout the Luba region and this may explain the confusion in terminology. A close link with divination and healing seems to be common to all the bowls. For such purposes at least some of the bowls serve as receptacles for the white kaolin used in rituals. The colour white is prescribed for all contact with spirits, and the diviner therefore paints a client with white earth; he also paints himself white after all important ritual acts.

 

 When a chief takes office the first wife hands him a sacred calabash with white earth, the symbol of power. Other bowl- holding figures are considered the abode of the spirit with whose help the diviner heals the patient. Often the patient simply takes the bowl in his hands, is painted white, and immediately feels himself cured. Some patients must then spend their lives as slaves of the spirit that is of the diviner.

 

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This figure is a ceramic reproduction of a masterwork of Luba art made by or for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Our extremely rare reproduction likely dates to the 1950's.

 

 

 

This is the original object owned by the  University of Pennsylvania Museum. Mention to Urua is Luba

 

 

 

 

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Makonde Figure / Mozambique

 

By Nampyopyo Kulombanungu

 

 

 

 

Nampyopyo Kulombanungu was an active artist during the 1940's. His success producing figures for resale gave him sufficient wealth and autonomy to invent a new form of mapiko masquerade involving masks representing non-Makondes. Today he is revered by Makonde's throughout northern Mozambique as a pioneer in masquerade.

 

Source: “Bortolot, Alexander Ives. Revolutions: A Century of Makonde Masquerade in Mozambique. New York: Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, 2007”

 

 

 

 

Related figures may date back to pre-colonial Makonde who lived in dispersed settlements. Each settlement was composed of a small number of households headed by men belonging to a matrilineal kinship unit called a likola. A likola was said to derive from a common female ancestor, revered as a life-giver and protector, who was represented by figurines. Carved from wood, the effigies were embellished with traditional body decoration. The face and torso had geometrical designs and the upper lip exhibited the lip-plug worn by Makonde women of the time. People often carried such carvings with them on long journeys. For example, a man going out to hunt might have tied one to his back or hip to protect him from danger.

 

 

 

 

Related Makonde figures appear on page 134, 135 and 136 of Art Makonde. (below)

 

 

 

 

Our example, as well as those above, are not necessarily colon objects. One of the most important events in the life of a Makonde was initiation. During this intensive months-long ritual, boys and girls were provided with knowledge and skills essential to the Makonde way of life. Carvings sometimes functioned as teaching tools in this context.

 

 

 

 

A typical Makonde pot surmounts Nampyopyo Kulombanungu's old figure. An applied surface is old and encrusted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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South East African Colon Figure

 

Circa 1920

 

 

 

 

Bust of a Powerful Man

 

 

 

This figure is made from extremely heavy wood, which suggest it may be of Makonde in origin.

 

Note the old glass shell or ivory inset eyes and teeth.

 

 

 

 

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East African Colon Figures

 

Mutisya Munge - Post WWI

 

 

 

Click image to read the page.

 

Relic's of the Colonial Past - Kamba Carvings - Kenya  / Pgs 45-46

Mutisya Munge was influenced by his service with the British Army in the Carrier Corps in Tanganyika. After the First World War, he went on to establish a new tradition in Kenya of carving figures and in particular of the "askaris" who served under both the British and German forces. These collections give a taste of the variety of colonial figures that were produced by various craftsmen between the two wars, a direct legacy of the innovative carver Mutisya Munge.

 

 

 

Askari guarding prisoners. - 1912 /  Émile Gorlia (1887-1966)

 

The two lots that  follow were re-discovered in the UK during  the last 35 years by the documentary director, Maurice Kanareck. He built a collection as a tribute to the Kamba tribesman Mutisya Munge.

 

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Trio "A"

 

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These solders date to the era of Mutisya Munge.

 

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Trio "B"

 

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Mutisya Munge's figures, as well as others made by related carvers, are part of what is almost a century old, now forgotten tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

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African Colon Figure

 

Circa 1940

 

 

Bust of an African elderly Madala

 

 

 

 

This old African bush has a repaired ear, while the beard was left alone as we felt the results of missing hair adds to the objects character.

 

 

 

 

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Madagascar Figure

 

 

 

 

Though uncertain, we feel this figure is likely from Madagascar. It is tall, powerful and inundated with fine adze marks over it's entire surface.

 

 

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The base of the strong, powerful sculpture is signed Samuel, with a reversed "S".

 

 

 

We know of one other figure by Samuel. On it the surname of Ldeiy or Ldeiz appears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Galerie Ezakwantu

African Art       Franschhoek South Africa       Tribal Art

 

Central and Southern African Tribal Art

 

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If your family traded, visited or lived in Africa, or if you know of others who had and remain with old beadwork, pipes, sticks or ethnic photographs, please contact us. Click the treasure box above to learn more.

 

 

 

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