A Kisanji with gourd

A Kisanji with gourd
wood and iron lamellophone, with gourd (which works as a resonance box)
carved decoration "Geometric motifs"
Angolan - Tshokwe
20th C. (mid)
missing a lamella, minor defects, major patina wear
purchased in Mucussueje (Moxico) on 18-3-1971
Dimensões (altura x comprimento x largura) - (quissanje) 11,6 x 7,3 x 0,5 cm
Notes: Provenance: Collection of Engineer Elísio Romariz dos Santos Silva

Fig. 4 in the notes printed "A Escultura Tribal dos Povos Banto" updated version, from 1995, of the work with the title "A Escultura Negro-Africana Vista à Luz da Filosofia Banta", which the author presented in 1971, for the XXII Floral Games of Huambo Town Hall (former Nova Lisboa) - Angola, p. 12. Original work available at http://memoriaafrica.ua.pt/Library/ShowImage.aspx?q=/bchuambo/bchuambo-026&p=10, consulted on March 16, 2023 at 11:16.
Item number 148, mentioned in the notebook of the collector «Angola - Arte Negra, Relação e descrição das peças», identified in it as «Kakolondondo»:"Decoration by incisions - rectangle with 3 motifs; the central one is reminiscent of a stylized "mucupela" 2-stroke drum. Above the rectangle are three circumferential arches. [...] Purchased in Mucussueje [Moxico], on 18.3.71 [...]. According to José Redinha "The kisanjis «lungando", «muiemba», «kakolondondo», «tchakel» and «saso» usually apply sounding boards made of gourds." - cf. REDINHA, José - "Campanha Etnográfica ao Tchiboco (Alto-Tchicapa) - Anotações e Documentação gráfica", volume 2. In "Diamag - Publicações Culturais nº 19". Lisboa: Companhia de Diamantes de Angola - Serviços Culturais Dundo - Lunda - Angola - Museu do Dundo, 1955, p. 20. Other kisanjis are represented in DIAS, Jorge (direc.) - "Escultura Africana no Museu de Etnologia do Ultramar". Lisboa: Junta de Investigações do Ultramar, 1968, s/p, nº 158; in SANTOS, Soraia Ferreira (coord.) - "A Herança dos Povos do Sul de Angola". Lubango: Museu Regional da Huíla, 2018, p. 57, nºs inv. 2003.R.247 and 2002.R.252; in FELIX, Marc Leo. - "100 Peoples of Zaire and Their Sculpture: The Handbook". Brussels: Zaire Basin Art History Research Foundation, 1987, p. 97, nº 15; and in BASTIN, Marie-Louise. "La sculpture Tshokwe”. Arcueil: Alain et Françoise Chaffin, 1982, p. 244, nº 167.