Current sculptural art of the Makonde, Mozambique, as a world-view.

Abstract

In this article we discuss the notions of “traditional art” and “authenticity”, terms currentley used in the context of african arts, based on a study of the WaMakonde, Mozambique. The Wa-Makonde, after departing from the dominant pattern of Southern african sculptures, have create a unique sculptural art. At present, they produce two basic types of sculpture, shetani and ujamaa, made from african ebony. We attempt to show that the Wa-Makonde sculptural art, which appeared in the 50’s/60’s, is a plastic re-elaboration of collective experiences, and that it can be seen as a world-view in which ancestral values are update.