The carving rises like a tree trunk, covered with dozens of interlocking human figures climbing over one another. It is called ujamaa, meaning “family” or “togetherness” in Swahili, and it is one of the best-known styles of Makonde sculpture. Carved from dense African blackwood, Makonde art has become one of East Africa’s most recognisable artistic traditions.
The Makonde, blackwood and masks
The Makonde live on the Makonde Plateau in northern Mozambique and in southern Tanzania. Many moved to Tanzania during Mozambique’s independence war and civil war. Makonde carvers traditionally use mpingo, or African blackwood, a very hard, dark wood. It is difficult to carve but takes a fine polish. Traditional Makonde art includes masks used in initiation ceremonies and dances, such as the mapiko mask dance.
Ujamaa, shetani and Lilanga
Ujamaa carvings show many figures interconnected, representing family, community and the generations. The term echoes Julius Nyerere’s ujamaa philosophy of African socialism in Tanzania. Shetani carvings depict spirits in twisted, abstract forms. The style emerged in the mid-twentieth century and is associated with carvers such as Samaki Likankoa. Many Makonde carvers moved to Dar es Salaam, where workshops in areas such as Mwenge produced sculptures for tourists and collectors.
George Lilanga, a Tanzanian artist of Makonde origin, became internationally known for colourful paintings and sculptures inspired by shetani imagery.
Conservation, collectors and workshops
Overharvesting has threatened African blackwood. Conservation projects promote sustainable management. Makonde art is collected worldwide. Quality varies widely between mass-produced tourist pieces and works by master carvers. Makonde sculptures have been shown in international exhibitions alongside other modern African art. Carvers use adzes, chisels and knives, working the hard wood slowly. Finished pieces are polished with oil or shoe polish to bring out the dark sheen.
Carving skills are often passed from father to son, and workshops include several generations working side by side. Many carvers sell through cooperatives.
Buying a carving and ceremonial masks
Buyers should look for fine detail and genuine blackwood, which is heavy and dense. The mapiko masks are worn by dancers during initiation celebrations, when young people are welcomed into adulthood. The masked dancer moves to drums while the community watches, and the masks themselves are carved with great care and kept for future ceremonies.
Ujamaa carvings pile generations on top of one another in a single trunk. It is a fitting image for a tradition that has been passed from carver to carver for more than a century.
