Makonde
Maternity figure


Tanzania, 20th century
carved wood
22.5 h x 6.5 w x 5.5 d in (57 x 17 x 14 cm)

Field collected by the former owner from an elderly woman named MaMalaba in the village of Murkumbara, Mtwara Region, Tanzania, this maternity figure depicts a standing woman carrying a child on her back. The mother displays extensive facial scarification and a prominent labret, both markers of beauty, identity, and social status among the Makonde during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Her arms frame her pubic area while the child clings to her arms. According to Makonde creation mythology, the first man carved a female figure and, upon awakening from sleep, found that the sculpture had come to life and become his wife. As among other Tanzanian groups, the motif of the child carried on the back may also allude to initiates riding on the backs of their initiators.

Provenance: Collected in Murkumbara, Tanzania by the present owner

This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.

Good condition. Tight age splits, scratches, and scuffs throughout. Dimensions listed include base integral to the work.