Rare Figure of the Sagara and or Luguru people of Tanzania

Rare East African Figure

Sagara - Luguru - Kaguru - Ngulu

East African Sagara or related figure - Circa 1900

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Tanzanian Figures

Ethnic Map of Tanzania - MWANA HITI - Marc Leo Felix - Page 018

Early collected carved figures from Tanzania (formerly Deutsch-Ostafrika / Tanganyika) were seldom well-documented. Culturally linked stylistic similarities between various tribal peoples and their art forms surfaced throughout the region. Adding further to the confusion to what is now for the most part a lost sculptural tradition, the Ngoni spread instability and relocations during the first half of the 19th century, further complicating established styles and form.

Sagala -Wasagara - Sagara Figures

TANZANIA - Marc Leo Felix / Maria Kecskesi MWANA HITI - Marc L Felix

MEISTERWERKE AFRIKANISCHER SKULPTUR

Our knowledge of the Sagara and related peoples is based on two books, assorted images and discussions with academics and collectors. MWANA HITI by Marc L Felix was published in 1990 and TANZANIA MEISTERWERKE AFRIKANISCHER SKULPTUR was authored by Marc Felix and Maria Kecskesi in 1994. These two books placed Tanzanian sculpture on the map. Stylistic generalizations based on early collected semi-documented examples of sculpture (1890s) were made and a number of Sagara figures identified. MWANA HITI - Pg 118 reads: The SAGARA, who form the bridge to the Hehe and Nyamwezi of central Tanzania – as well as to the Bena and, through them, to the peoples of Malawi – do not appear to have much sculpture. At this moment only a high-backed chair and a few figures can be attributed to them. (1990)

Sagara Tanzania - Museum für Völkerkunde - Berlin 1898 Sagara or related figure - circa 1900

The Sagara figure to the left arrived at the Museum für Völkerkunde in Berlin during the late 19th century. Compare the similarity of the two rare objects, exhibiting naturalistic faces, oval foreheads, thinly carved mouths and shell inlayed eyes. Their carved neck rings likely represent beadwork. Related carvings without neck rings, but exhibiting concave (or flat) heart shaped faces are found throughout a vast area in Tanzania. The range exceeds to the Kahe / Pare in the north, the Nyamwezi to the west and the Maconde to the south.

Beadwork

Luguru - MWANA HITI - Page 424 Zaramo - MWANA HITI - Page 419

It happens that people mistakenly associate carved neck rings with the Mende of Sierra Leone. The artists who produced the Luguru and Zaramo figures above, used glass beads and wire to depict traditional beadwork, rather than wooden carved rings. The Luguru are direct neighbours of the Sagara and live to the east. Their cultures and dialects most closely resemble those of the Kaguru and Ngulu people, who live directly north. The Zaramo live a mere fifty kilometres east of the Luguru. MWANA HITI combines more groups where on page 35 it is said: Eastern Tanzania was a culturally unified region having small pockets of people speaking different dialects of the same language and sharing very similar cultural and social institutions, political organizations, and economies. / Various names given to eastern Tanzanian Bantu speaking groups were Luguru, Kami, Kutu, Zaramo, Kwere, Doë, Zigua, Ngulu, Kaguru, Sagara, and Vidunda. These names did not reflect any deep-seated ethnic differences. Instead, they varied according to the ecological niches each group inhabited.

Sagara or related figure / apron - Circa 1900

Beaded aprons and other attire were produced by natives throughout Africa. Unique to South East Africa was the use of what were the smallest beads traded into Africa. It is assumed these tiny/minuet examples gained popularity along the length of the Mozambique, up the Shire River, into Malawi and Zimbabwe (and to a lesser extent Tanzania), from loom weaving methods introduced by the East African Arab trade. The apron made to fit the figure is constructed on sinew, a beading fibre appearing only in the South East and Southern African context. Sinew adds another indicator as to the origins of the figure.

Body Parts

Sagara or related figure - circa 1900 Makonde Museum für Völkerkunde - Leipzig 1907

In addition to concave heart shaped faces found in the region, so too are figures with open carved arms and legs. Somewhat unique to this area - are well formed protruding buttocks, as evidenced on both the Sagara and Makonde (Maconde - Wamakonde) figures above. Though lacking patina of use, the Leipzig Makonde figure was early collected and dates to 1907.

Makonde - Deutsches Kolonial Lexikon -1920

Above, a drawing of a similarly poised figure (open carved arms / legs, hands to abdomen, dotted white eyes, skirt, concave face) that was described as Makonde in a German encyclopedia dating to 1920.

Sagara and Luguru related figures - Circa 1900

Carved breasts appear on figures in all sizes in the region. The figure on the right was published in MWANA HITI - page 449 and is attributed to the Sagara or Luguru (Waluguru). It too has a long neck, inlayed eyes (beaded), a thinly carved mouth (worn away) and the signature heart shaped concave facial feature of the region.

Makonde Figure- Leipzig Sagara Figure - Circa 1900 Sagara Figure - Berlin

Compare the similarities of the abrupt 'sexless' termination of the pelvic area of the Leipzig Makonde figure (left), to the Sagara figures (center - right).

Sagara Figure - Circa 1900 Luguru - Private Collection - Stuttgart Sagara Figure - Circa 1900

The figures above have remarkably long feet. They not only assist in keeping the objects upright, but add to the visual aesthetic balance of both objects. The centre figure is attributed to the Luguru - page 140, TANZANIA - MEISTERWERKE AFRIKANISCHER SKULPTUR. Again - buttocks extend to the rear and a sexless torso suddenly ends.

The item was purchased at a UK auction sale during the 1990's, which places its collection in an English colonial context - post 1918. Remnants of paint splattered from a roller or brush are present on the reverse, confirming its long colonial attribution.

The Sagara or related figure sports an overall deep patina of great age. Two or three slight cracks appear on the buttocks and another to the back of the head. Numerous adze marks are found on the underside of the chin, breasts, hands, buttocks and feet, all confirming the fantastic age of this very old object.

The statues hair, mouth and neck rings were hand cut, not sawn.

This rare Sagara figure is tall at + - 33.5 centimetres.

Galerie Ezakwantu

Southern African Tribal Art - African Art

Central and Southern African Tribal Art

Art Africain 頂级菲洲艺术品中心 Afrikanische Kunst

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