Figure

The Makonde were a matriarchal, agricultural society. Traditionally, it is thought, the sculpture of the Makonde was restricted to ceremonial and ritual goods. Shetani spirits or creatures, now seen in contemporary Makonde sculpture, were probably unknown before the advent of commercial art production in the mid-1950's. Tales of encounters with these rarely seen spirits or creatures were part of Makonde mythology and folklore and may have served as artistic inspiration for the pieces.

Commercial art.

Two figures facing opposite directions share some common body parts. The tallest figure has a large skull-like head with bulging eyes and large teeth. The head faces backwards from the torso, one arm extends upwards, and the figure has a mask-like face in place of a hand, which rests on the side of the head. Where the torso joins the base of the figure there is a head with an incised surface, hooded eyes, a cavernous nasal area, and two fangs in the mouth. The other figure merges vertically with the first figure and has a monkey-like head, one eye shut and the other eye partially shut, a thin mouth with teeth, and one large ear. The monkey-like figure's right arm is bent at the elbow with the hand covering its nose and it has an incised scale-like pattern on the face and body.