Nyamwezi Beaded Wood Doll on Custom Base Tanzania

These figures are used by water diviners according to Jean-Baptist Bacquart (1998: 223). Further research is to be conducted to determine the use and function of these figures also referred as staff (see Kerchache, Jacques, and Al., 1988, p. 468). The Nyamwezi are known for their carving that is at best roughly executed and relatively sparsely described in the literature of East African art. However there are a number of uses given to sculpted figures among the Nyamwezi including witchcraft, magic and social entertainment. Among the Nyamwezi powerful forces known as ‘bulogi' are organized with cults centered around certain spirits. This includes the manipulation of forces and the developments of cults or spirit possession in which members of the Baswezi society are possessed or mounted by the Swezi spirit.

According to oral traditions they settled in west central Tanzania where they presently live sometime during the 1600s. Called “people of the moon” by their neighbors in Tanzania the Nyamwezi lived in large settlements and at one time in a number of kingdoms but today live in small dispersed settlements under local chiefs.

The Nyamwezi people are an ethnic group that inhabits the central region of Tanzania, particularly the Tabora and Singida regions. They are renowned for their intricate wood carvings, which are often used as decorative pieces or for functional purposes.

They are known for their history as traders and their long-distance trading networks that spanned much of East and Central Africa.

The Nyamwezi are also known for their cultural traditions, including their music, dance, and storytelling. They have a rich oral history that has been passed down from generation to generation, and their stories often incorporate elements of history, religion, and mythology.

In terms of language, the Nyamwezi speak a Bantu language known as Nyamwezi, which is closely related to other Bantu languages spoken throughout East and Southern Africa.

Today, the Nyamwezi continue to maintain their cultural traditions and their trading networks, although their way of life has been impacted by modernization and globalization. They face a number of challenges, including poverty, political instability, and environmental degradation, but they remain a proud and resilient people with a rich cultural heritage.