Impressive Wooden Makonde Kwere Calabash, African Rare Art

African Makonde Kwere Calabash Gourd from Tanzania

This rare Makonde calabash features an intricately carved design, with two figures adorning the stopper, each boasting a unique and distinctive head style. The middle of the calabash is wrapped with a cloth and delicate beads , creating a harmonious blend of natural wood. The Object such as the one above was used to hold medicine. According to healers, Thompson notes, “seldom differentiated between decorating themselves, the spirits they embody, or their spirit-objects.” The healer and their medium were one and the same. To be effective, medicine requires the intervention of the spirits through the healer and his or her adorned vessels. Figurative stoppers imbue the gourd with beauty and intent. They seal the medicine in. They are the tool by which the medicine is dispensed; a mnemonic device by which one gourd (and its contents) is clearly differentiated from another.

This Makonde Calabash is a perfect addition to your collection of traditional calabash or containers. The container is made from high-quality materials and features a unique design that showcases the traditional medicine Calabash from the Makonde in Africa.

Measurements are 5.2 inches by 12.5 inches