Male grave post "waka"
Ethiopia, Konso / Gato
sold
EUR 3,600
Provenance
Klaus Sachau, Wittlich, GermanyZemanek-Münster, 5 December 1998, Lot 24
Horst Hornstadt, Frankfurt, Germany
Size
H: 133 cm
H: 52.4 inch
Description
wood, wind abrasion, traces of weathering and insect caused damage, base
A female “waka”, also from the Sachau Collection, was auctioned at Zemanek-Münster, 4 March 2017 as lot 479 (cf. AHDRC 0139949). It shows great stylistic similarities with the present object and could be by the hand of the same artist.
The Konso carve these post figures to honor the memory of prominent men.
Originally, the “waka” were always united in groups. In the centre stood the post of the deceased, surrounded by sculptures representing the enemies he had killed and his wives who had already died when the post was erected. Sometimes even the animals that the deceased had captured during his lifetime were represented by small animal sculptures.