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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 Status Objects - Objects of Rank

Flywhisks - Knobkerries - Axes

 Ornements de Noblesse Africains - Afrikanisches Status Objekt

 

 

 

 

 

Tsonga / Zulu  - Flywhisk

 

Circa 1900   

  

 

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This circa 1900 item was owned by a chief, headman or sangoma. It was most likely the latter, in that it is surmounted with a head of a meerkat.

 

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Sangomas used the tail of the cow sacrificed at his or her ritual initiation ceremony for their flywhisks.

      

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Chokwe Scepter

 

 

Lwena - Angola - Congo DRC - Western Zambia

 

 

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This small elegant Chokwe / Lwena related staff is in the shape of a central to southern Angolan knob throwing stick - surmounted with a bird, 'the beak restored'. 

 

 

 

 Note the resemblance to a drawing by Carvalho - circa 1900.

 

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The bird form is often found on status objects, such as chief thrones and figurative combs.

 

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Ceremonial Dance Hoe

 

Western Zambia

 

 

 

Ila Speaking Girl - Zambia

 

Miniature hoes called Katemokavamwali were danced at female imitations called mwali in Angola, DRC - Congo and Western Zambia. Katemokavamwali literally means the hoe of the female initiate. Katemo is hoe,  vamwali is of (va) women (mwali) or female initiate... so; Katemo ka vamwali.

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For the most part blades were carved from wood or forged by an ironsmith. This example has a wooden blade, was once part of the Southern African Heinz Papen Collection and most likely dates to 1900 -1920.

 

       

 

The wooden blades underside has the initials MD carved into a backdrop of a larger "D". The object may have been offered at a presentation to an important official.

 

      

 

Traditional African body paint and scarification.

 

These images were taken in the early 1990's while a mwali ceremony was in progress, north west of Kabompo.

 
Girls of Chokwe, Ila, Luchazi, Mbunda and Luvale origins celebrate the coming of age at the mwali ceremony in nkunka huts. The event is as widespread as the boys mukanda, but conducted almost exclusively on an individual basis at the beginning at first menstruation. A teacher organizes the girls scarification, the stretching of her labia and applies body paints, all intended to fashion the perfect woman. The scarification is applied to her abdomen to add to and emphasize her role in childbearing.

 

The writer has viewed Katemokavamwali often danced at the boys Mukanda .

 

 

Another

 

 

 

This second example boasts a laminated ivory hilt and blade.

 

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By the 20th century, perhaps before, there was an established tradition of laminating flywhisks, staffs and chimbuya axes with sections of ivory. This is one of only two Katemokavamwali known to us, both early collected.

 

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Flywhisk - Ba Rotze Plain

 

Circa 1920's - Mbunda

 

 

 

This flywhisk called a "mafuka". The lion finial gives the Eskimo feel and is carved from bone.

 

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An excellent early collected example of rare and high form.

 

High ranking chiefs, sub chiefs, headmen and traditional healers held these as status objects.

 

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Tsonga - Zulu Prestige Knobkerrie

 

Circa 1900

 

 

 

Rediscovered in the UK

 

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This is a fine old status knobkerrie used as an authorative scepter - staff. There are 24 studs decorating either side of the disk and outer rim. Two sections of partially damaged wirework, remain mostly in fine condition.

 

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Tutsi - Watutsi Prestige Knives

 

Rwanda - Burundi

 

 

 

The Tutsi of Rwanda and Burundi beaded their knife and scabbards for prestige and status purposes. The brick stitch was used as a beading method, a technique also widely popular in Southern Africa. Its very much Shona related attachment thong is present and the blade forged "ogee' or "blood grooved".

 

 

   Jan Elsen - Tribal Arms Monographs - Vol. I   Nr. 3

 

      

 

Offered as a trio, the two machete type knifes were called mugishu. Larger examples were used for chopping and hacking for centuries regionally by the Hutu, Tutsi, Rundi, Hima, Havu, Hunde, Shi, Fuliru and Lega. Tutsi beaded miniature examples were status objects owned by higher ranked persons.

 

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Galerie Ezakwantu

African Art       Franschhoek South Africa       Tribal Art

 

Central and Southern African Tribal Art

 

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