Carving

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.

Birds are symbols of great strength, may also relate to fertility or virility.

Four figures. One human has recessed oval eyes, a big nose, and a lower jaw with jagged teeth, and wears a man's hat, straddles the rear of a long-legged bird, and grasps its head with one hand. The other hand clasps the hand of a female figure which has a bird's head in place of a human's. The female figure has bulging crescent-shaped eyes, a long thick nose, and a beak-like mouth. Standing on the woman's head, there is a smaller human figure with a bird-like face with circular grooved eyes and who bends forward at the waist. One hand rests on its knee while the other points to the base. Hands and feet have no defined digits. Carving is loose on the base.