Ancestor figure - Mahafaly - Madagascar

AL137 Ancestral Figure, Totem of the Mahafaly AloAlo. 1965, 167 x 13 x 6 cm, 2.75 kg, Atandroy Warrior
All Malagasy nurture a pronounced ancestor cult, whose origin lies in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. One sees the soul of the deceased (Razana) still as part of the social community, which in stages enters into an alliance with the creator god (Zanahary). This, in turn, is connected with the universe. People seek protection, counsel, and strength from the ancestors and fear their wrath. Accordingly, depending on the ethnic group, there are different burial customs. The Mahafaly, compared to the small wooden living houses, erect generous stone chest-tombs, built grandly according to the standing of the deceased. The burial complex is always located outside the living areas. In the center there is a mortuary house, filled with the deceased’s belongings, housing the prepared deceased in a tree coffin. The tomb construction and the burial ceremony can take months.
The commissioned workers are fed, and the skulls of the sacrificed zebus are laid on the grave. The grave paintings refer to daily life or to the wishes and dreams of the deceased. An important part of the rite are the ALOALO stelae, always made as commissioned works by certified carvers. They depict on the upper part important stages from the deceased’s life, his fantasies and experiences, often also the revered zebu cattle. As bearer of life and the universe, the lower part typically shows women but also notable figures such as shamans, tribal chiefs, and legendary beings. This artistic universe is connected with astrological symbols such as crescent moons, stars, and ornaments. The Mahafaly let the dead rest (unlike in other regions); his Razana maintains contact with earthly life through mirrors set into the grave. Thus Mahafaly burial sites are left to decay over decades.
This sculpture has, in addition to the usual base pin in the ground, seven ornamental fragments with the typical astrological signs such as crescent moons and stars. On the headboard, one warrior is depicted, who originally carried a spear, but it has either been worn away by revolutionary upheaval or merely by the tooth of time.
The hardwood Menabe used is internally not rotten or brittle! However, due to exposure on the surface, it is heavily weathered, oxidized, and coated with dust patina. Location: Tulear region, Kilimasy.
The genuine AloAlo are a artistic rarity, because the ancestor cult, which originates from Papua New Guinea, worldwide only in Madagascar found bodily expression in these stelae. Export of cultural goods / antiques is strictly limited in Madagascar. Our old originals have been in family possession since 1975 and, due to the rising collector value, also represent a fruitful investment. (Reference book "Arts Anciens de Madagascar" p.268)
This object can be shipped by parcel service.