- Museum number
- 2014,2005.31
- Description
-
One element of a contemporary art installation entitled 'Mother Tongue' consisting of a rectangular section of wood bearing the image of a Makonde 'mapiko' mask covered with printed cloth, 'capulana', of green, red and brown. This element has the name 'SWAHILI', one of forty one indigenous languages of Mozambique, embroidered in the bottom, right hand corner.
- Production date
- 2014
- Dimensions
-
Height: 40 centimetres
-
Width: 29 centimetres
-
Depth: 3 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- A contemporary art installation entitled 'Mother Tongue' consisting of forty one rectangular sections of wood, each bearing the image of the same Makonde mask covered with printed cloth, 'capulana', of different colours and patterns. The work derives its name from the 41 indigenous languages spoken in Mozambique, one being embroidered in the bottom, right hand corner of each element. They are as follows:
Barwe, Chopi, Chuwabu, Dema, Gitonga, Kokola, Koti, Kunda, Lolo, Lomwe, Maindo, Makhuwa, Makhuwa-Saka, Makhuwa-Shirima, Makhuwa-Moniga, Makhuwa-Marrevone, Makhuwa-Meeto, Makonde, Makwe, Manyawa, Manyika, Marenje, Mwani, Nathembo, Ndau, Ngoni, Nsenga, Nyanja, Nyungwe, Phimbi, Ronga, Sena, Swahili, Swati, Takawe, Tawara, Tewe, Tsonga, Tswa, Yao, Zulu.
The repeating image is of a wooden 'mapiko' mask very similar to a famous piece in the collections (Af1958, 12.1) and currently on display in the African Galleries. In recent years Makonde women of Mozambique have developed their own masquerade known as 'lingundumbwe' using a mask created from the printed cloth 'capulana' worn by women.
- Location
- On display (G25/dc24)
- Condition
- very good.
- Acquisition date
- 2014
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- 2014,2005.31