Ujamaa O Tree Of Life

The statues called “ujamaas” or “families” are true works of art that require a great sculptural capacity, also called “dimongos” by the natives. They represent the great African family, that is, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, etc., that is, the patriarchal family, and precisely the characters of this statue are around the main figure, the patriarch or head of the family, usually the oldest, appear intermingled, in a true labyrinth of characters, carrying out the usual domestic tasks, the life of the village, in groups staggered by floors, carved in a trunk of the tree, always in ebony wood. The figures are carved on the inside of the trunk, an area where the ebony is blacker and are often tucked in lighter wood on the outside of the trunk, adding a beautiful light-dark effect.

Certainly, although the “ujamaa” and the “shetani”, i.e. the art in ebony wood, is relatively recent, dating back to the fifties of the last century, it is curious that most books of art and ethnology do not speak of them, not even mention them, despite being a truly spectacular art, made with rudimentary tools. A “ujamaa” or “tree of life”, about two meters high, true masterpiece of sculpture can lead its author to a full-time dedication of a year or more of work.