African Tanzanian Makonde Njorowe Pregnant Ceremonial Carved Wood Body Mask. Carved from a single piece of wood, the pointed breasts extend out at far as the belly, with small holes on the sides where strings can be pushed through to tie around the body for the ritual dance. Simple lined motifs are the only visible decorations on the otherwise smooth, life-like craft. 

Size: 22 x 11 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. 

The Makonde body mask, known as a njorowe, is primarily from Tanzania in East Africa, used in Makonde initiation rituals. During their initiation, boys are isolated for a period of several months during which they are circumcised and taught rules of adult behavior, expectations of married life, traditional songs and dances, and other practical skills. When the young men return to the village, celebrations including masked dance performances are held. A male dancer wears this type of body mask along with a feminine mask on his face, representing a young, pregnant woman. Together with a male masked figure, the dancers pantomime sexual intercourse and demonstrate the burdens of pregnancy and agony of childbirth. The ritual, performed for hundreds of years, is done to prepare young men and women for their roles as future husbands and wives, and their obligations to their family and their tribe.

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