Pair of Marionette Figures

Origin: Nyamwezi Tribe, Tanzania
Composition: wood, beads, metal

Among the Nyamwezi, small male/female marionette pairs were given as wedding gifts. A related pair (pictured below) is in the UCLA Fowler Museum.

The Nyamwezi subsist primarily by cereal agriculture, their major crops being sorghum, millet, and corn (maize). Rice is a significant cash crop. The Nyamwezi have long been famous as travelers and workers outside their own country; as porters they became known throughout East Africa.

Though they once lived in compact villages, the Nyamwezi have dispersed since the 19th century, living now in relatively scattered Homesteads. The Nyamwezi have a number of secret societies that require initiation and other ceremonies. Chiefdoms were formerly highly developed. Each had a hierarchy of territorial officers culminating in that of the ntemi (“chief”). Ancestor worship is the most important facet of religious activity. High gods and spirits are also recognized. A mfumi (“diviner”) can interpret a situation for an individual or a group, telling them what forces are impinging on their lives (Ref: Encyclopædia Britannica Online).

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