Tanzania
Zaramo

Wood
ca. Mid-20th century
Length: 24 inches
Chordophone – Zither – Trough

The figure on the top of the trough zither called inaga, is believed to represent Mwana Hiti, an iconic figure of a number of peoples in Tanzania. Mwana Hiti figures are used as surrogate child/husband figures by girls during their ritual seclusion before initiation. Considered to be both male and female, they are given names of real or mythical ancestors, and are kept in special places in the hut, either on a special stool or in a little house. The name has many meanings, including “daughter of the throne,” and “child of the initiation stool” or “wooden child”…so it is common to have this image as a finial.   Unlike the Zaramo Mwana Hiti’ this inaga finial face is concaved.