The Makonde: The Mystical Sculptors (Makonde community)

Shujaa Stories2020

National Museums of Kenya

National Museums of Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya

Have you ever met someone who is always on the move, you wonder when they sleep? That’s a fitting description of the Makonde. Though it is said that they moved around in search of employment, one would rather believe that it was in search of inspiration for their breathtaking art!
The Makonde are originally from Southern Tanzania, and Northern Mozambique, where they still have a large population. The few who kept going eventually settled on the East African coast, in the late 1800s. The Makonde have been on the move, for over 100 years.

The Makonde are renowned for their prowess in wood carving. Their elaborate masks and figurines recount generational stories. And they are also known for their expressive facial tattoos.
The Makonde are a matrilineal society who trace descent through the female line. This is why women have a central place in Makonde sculpture.

Female figurines are common and are usually portrayed in concepts that represent birth and survival of the Makonde. Their breasts and stomachs are engraved with lizards as the lizard is thought to increase fertility in women. The faces of the figurines are adorned with typical Makonde scarification, on foreheads, cheeks, and over the mouth. By the time the sculptor is done, the figurine is an awesome and bewitching sight!

A mask in the shape of a woman’s head represents the progenitor. This kind of mask is highly spiritual. It is used in worship and to summon spirits for protection through journeys, hardships, maternity and death. Another highly spiritual mask is the “Mapiko”. These masks are sculpted to embody ancestral spirits during men’s initiation ceremonies and are usually kept in a little temple located in a place secluded from the rest of the village.

Makonde masks are also worn during masquerades, where the masked stilt dancers move in rhythmic strides and symbolic gestures. The dancer wears the mask to hide his identity because it embodies the ancestral spirit of a deceased person, referred to as “Lihoka”.

Makonde sculptors are blatantly expressive; when representing their people, they create harmonic sculptures with fine features, while their enemies are represented with distorted and ridiculous features that look grotesque. The Ujamaa style has its origin in this kind of carving. It represents a Makonde family tree, featuring streams of people engaged in daily activities. It is all carved out of a single piece of wood. A female figure always stands at the top.

Today, in Makonde society, sculptors use their art to educate and create awareness on important issues that affect society. Sculptors create scenes to teach children about values and virtues of daily life with subjects which change to suit the times. The sculptors have developed new styles of spirit-figure carving. Makonde art may have evolved over the centuries but the technique and the mystical effect remains.

Bonus Information
The wood carving industry in Kenya is highly dependent on indigenous tree species. These hardwood species are also preferred for construction. They are used in architectural and civil works. Over the years, harvesting of these tree species has led to degradation of forests and woodlands. These species take between 100-150 years to mature. This includes the wood traditionally used by the Makonde carvers that comes from a tree known as “African blackwood” or Dalbergia Melanoxylon (Mpingo in Kiswahili).
Harvesting of indigenous hardwoods from public forests is now banned in Kenya. This forces sculptors (and other users) to look for alternatives, softwoods (such as the Jacaranda tree) which do not provide the same quality of work. Regardless, woodcarvers are encouraged to carry out their trade in a sustainable way.

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  • Title: The Makonde: The Mystical Sculptors (Makonde community)
  • Creator: Shujaa Stories
  • Date Created: 2020
  • Location: Kenya
  • Rights: Shujaa Stories in collaboration with Nature Kenya and the National Museums of Kenya
  • Research statement: Research was undertaken through on ground field work in Samburu and Marsabit (for Gabbra, Samburu, Rendille, Saakuye, Dasanach, Elmolo, Waayu a.k.a Waata, and Burji superheroes/heroines), Embu and Tharaka (for Aembu, Tharaka, Ameru and Mbeere superheroes/heroines) and Taita-Taveta/Voi (for Taveta superheroes/heroines) capturing all information about the heroes from the 30 selected ethnic groups/communities by Museum’s research team.
  • Community: Makonde
  • About Shujaa Stories: This is a Kenyan superhero display of the country’s pre-independence legends who fought for their communities’ land, freedom and spiritual well-being; and are revered by their communities to date. Conceptualized in 2017, the idea was the brain-child of Masidza Sande Galavu (1993-2020) who was a Creative Director and co-founder at Shujaa Stories and Tatu Creatives in Nairobi. ‘Shujaa’ is a Swahili word that means brave or courageous. It also refers to someone who is a hero. Shujaa Stories made its public debut with an exhibition at the Nairobi National Museum in 2018. It shined light on 28 of Kenya’s greatest heroes and heroines. Each story was coupled with a bonus text on conservation related to the heritage sites surrounding where these legends once lived. In 2020, supported by National Museums of Kenya and Google Arts and Culture, Shujaa Stories Ltd completed over 30 new shujaas that cut across the major and marginalized Kenyan communities. Kenya is rich in history and culture. Some of this richness has been brought out in our books, museums and in theatre. But there is one major section of our history that has been left out, especially to the younger generation of Kenyans, which are our pre-independence legendary heroes. Some of these heroes are known well beyond their communities due to the respect they managed to garner across the region. Many of them have a well-developed and sophisticated folklore which embodies their history, traditions, morals, worldview and wisdom. The design language chosen for the entire exhibition is animated illustrations that seek to bring out the superhero character of each shujaa.
National Museums of Kenya

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