Macondo Art – genesis Africa in Ebony

5,000 square kilometers in the east African continent occupies by Macondo tribe belonging to the Bantu ethnic group. Macondo plateau, cut Ruvuma River valley, extending north Mozambique and Tanzania to the south. During the colonial section of the world Macondo were under the rule of various states. In 1964, Tanzania became independent, and Macondo became free citizens of the Republic. Resistance Macondo to colonial regime in Mozambique was brutally suppressed in 1960. Armed struggle for independence took widespread and Macondo become active participants in the resistance movement, led Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO). Many of them were forced to hide in Tanzania, which now contains two-thirds of the 500 thousand Macondo. Among them – there are many sculptors from Mozambique.

The geographic isolation of the ancient culture has contributed significantly flourishing art sculpture. Macondo – farmers living in dry areas, from immemorial time treated wood. One of the oldest legends says about first man, who with a piece of wood cut the first woman, she became mother of Macondo. And to this day Macondo create their sculptures mainly from precious ebony, very solid and so hard to work with. It grows in abundance in the jungles of eastern Africa.

Using the structure of a root or branch Macondo artist creates realistic images of amazing characters or abstract art.

Modern art Macondo reached their peaks due to the richness and diversity of styles works. Over the past 15 years there has been a magnificent flowering of sculpture Macondo – from traditional art that has its roots in the past, to the present, under the influence of realistic direction. Then we give some examples of African Macondo art works.

Antelope and Snake created with root ebony, which form used by the sculptor. Snake in the mythology of Macondo represents the link between the world of the dead and the living.

A herd of antelopes (elongated shape model, which can be seen in the majority of artists Macondo, predetermined elongated piece of wood that served as a material for sculpture).

Thirst mother: Macondo have matriarchate, a woman – is a symbol of the continuity of life. This sculpture depicts a preferred child on the head of his future mother who aggressively seeking man’s favors.

The symbolic symbol women’s fertility – is a work full of lightness and agility.