241232 - Large Pair of Funerary Posts " Waga", Konso - Gato People - Ethiopia.

Large Extremely Rare Pair of Wooden Funerary Posts, Konso Gato People, Ethiopia.

Late 19th century

This is an exceptionally rare pair of funerary posts from the Konso Gato people of Ethiopia, specifically linked to the Konso community.

This exceptional large pair represents a high-ranking couple of the Konso Gato people, as evidenced by the presence of necklaces and headdresses. Each figure is remarkably detailed and gendered. The striking similarity of their poses adds to the magnetism of these pieces. The harmonious gray patina enhances the overall aesthetic.

These sculptures were acquired in Ethiopia in the 1990s with the help of my late friend Tekalegn Besepa and carry a rich cultural and personal history.

They are mounted on custom metal stands for display. 

Height with stand 114 cm and 106 cm.

I deliberately took photos under different lighting conditions to give a realistic impression of the sculptures and to also show their dramatic side.

The only other documented pair is in the Ernie Wolfe III Collection in the United States. It is featured in the catalogue of an exhibition organized in 1989 at the Williams College Museum of Art (Massachusetts), entitled 'Commemorative Sculpture of the Mijikenda of Kenya'.

This couple Konso Gato Post dated end 19th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

The traditional forests are used as burial places for ritual leaders and for medicinal purposes. These Wooden anthropomorphic statues (waka), carved out of wood and mimicking the deceased, are erected as grave markers. The Konso of Ethiopia carve simple,elongated figures as part of sculptural groupings honoring the memory of prominent men. The groupings may include representations of the deceased, his wife, his defeated enemies, and even animals that he killed.

There are almost 200,000 Konso confined to a homeland of considerably less than 1000 square kilometers. The Konso have no memory of where their ancestors originated. They assume they have always lived in the tiny hilly territory in the far southwest of Ethiopia. Their African ancestors, however, probably arrived there around 5,000 years ago, bringing with them the prevalent stone age culture and agricultural techniques that are still evident today.

From these beginnings their remarkable culture developed in virtual isolation. Surrounded by their neighbors, they continue to till their fields. With the exception of trading with the Borena for salt or cowrie shells, outside influence has virtually passed them by. They have always fiercely defended their territory. This is evident in the fact that each village is walled. Much of their land is terraced and planted with trees, and the fertile fields are tended, irrigated and fertilized.

Children marry around the age of fifteen. Though the Konso are not a proud people they do not look favorably on intermarriage. Non-Christians can have three or four wives. They do not live together with extended families, and inheritance is passed down to men only.

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