Who Are the Makonde?
The Makonde are a Bantu-speaking people inhabiting the plateau regions along the Ruvuma River border between Tanzania and Mozambique. Numbering approximately 1.5 million in Mozambique and 500,000 in Tanzania, they are renowned worldwide for their distinctive wood sculpture tradition. The Makonde speak Shimakonde, a Bantu language with dialectal variation between countries. Their plateau homeland—an elevated region historically providing protection from slave raiders—supported a matrilineal society with distinctive initiation practices. During Mozambique's independence struggle, the Makonde were central to FRELIMO's liberation movement. Their artistic tradition has gained international recognition while remaining rooted in spiritual and social meanings.
Sculpture Tradition
Makonde woodcarving represents one of Africa's most celebrated artistic traditions. Traditional carvings included mapiko masks used in initiation ceremonies, figures representing ancestors and spirits, and decorative items. The distinctive blackwood (mpingo/African ebony) became the primary medium, its density allowing fine detail. Carving was traditionally men's work, transmitted through apprenticeship. During the 20th century, Makonde sculpture evolved new forms: shetani (spirit) figures depicting fantastical beings, and ujamaa (family tree) sculptures showing intertwined human figures. These modern styles emerged partly through mission school influence and art market demand. Makonde sculpture has entered international art markets and museums, though debate continues about authenticity and commercialization's effects on traditional meanings.
Initiation and Society
Traditional Makonde society featured elaborate initiation ceremonies for both boys and girls, marking transition to adulthood. Male initiation (jando) included circumcision, instruction in adult responsibilities, and exposure to mapiko masked dancers representing ancestral spirits. Female initiation (chiputu) prepared girls for womanhood through instruction and ritual scarification. These ceremonies reinforced cultural values and social bonds. Makonde practiced matrilineal descent—inheritance and clan membership passed through the mother's line, and husbands often moved to their wives' villages. This contrasted with patrilineal neighbors. Islam spread among Makonde during the 19th century, though traditional practices often continued alongside Islamic observance. Colonial and post-colonial pressures have modified initiation practices, but they remain important in many communities.
Contemporary Makonde
Modern Makonde navigate different national contexts in Tanzania and Mozambique. In Mozambique, the Makonde's role in the liberation struggle (many FRELIMO leaders were Makonde) brought political influence but also exposure to civil war devastation. Mozambican Makonde communities have rebuilt since the 1992 peace. In Tanzania, Makonde have been more peripheral to national politics but maintain cultural vitality. The carving tradition continues, though most production now targets tourism and export markets rather than ceremonial use. Urban migration has increased; Makonde communities exist in Dar es Salaam and Maputo. The Makonde language remains healthy in rural areas. Cross-border connections between Tanzanian and Mozambican Makonde persist despite the international boundary. The Makonde demonstrate how artistic traditions can gain global recognition while communities navigate post-colonial nation-building and economic change.
References
- Stout, J. A. (1966). Modern Makonde Sculpture
- Israel, P. (2014). In Step with the Times: Mapiko Masquerades of Mozambique
- Dias, J. (1961). Os Macondes de Moçambique