A animal fetish figure from the Zigua culture, with a pointed snout and upright ears, seated on a small stool. The figure is wrapped in strips of animal hide and cloth, while strands of white glass beads adorn the neck and upper legs. Bound to the back are small pieces of wood, forming a fetish bundle associated with healing and protection. The surface displays an encrusted, oily and worn in parts patina, accumulated through ritual handling and the application of traditional medicinal substances over time.
Animal forms feature prominently in the healing traditions of the Pare, Zigua, and Shambaa peoples of north-eastern Tanzania. The distinctive practice of wrapping figures in cloth and animal hide is a rare tradition in African figurative art, confined to a small number of communities inhabiting the mountainous regions of north-eastern Tanzania.
Ex: Bryan Reeves, London
Estimated Period: Mid 20th Century
Height: 25.5 cm
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