Memorial stela (waakaa or waga)
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Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
Stelae (waaka or waaga in the Konso language) memorialize specific male Konso ancestors. Waaka emphasize an ancestor’s individual deeds, as well as his connection to shared experiences and values. They appear on outdoor platforms with other sculptures. Waaka only memorialize xhe’tallitta (heroes), certain religious dignitaries, or warrior-hunters. The man at center wears a warrior’s bracelets and stacked necklaces. His hand rests on his phallus, unlike figures of castrated, defeated warriors. Representing a wife and mother, the jewelry-adorned woman at left would stand alongside him. As the wooden posts decay outdoors, the deceased joins the larger ancestral community. In contrast, the Huastec sculpture at right was carved in stone to be permanent. This ongoing Konso memorial practice has precedents dating back as far as the eleventh or thirteenth century.
Caption
Konso artist. Memorial stela (waakaa or waga), 19th century or earlier. Wood, 39 1/4 x 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (99.7 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Serge and Jodie Becker-Patterson , 1998.124.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1998.124.1_edited_SL3.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Memorial stela (waakaa or waga)
Date
19th century or earlier
Geography
Place made: former Gamu-Gofa Province, Ethiopia
Medium
Wood
Classification
Dimensions
39 1/4 x 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (99.7 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Serge and Jodie Becker-Patterson
Accession Number
1998.124.1
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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