African Art

TThhee HHa auus saa CCo ouunnt trriiees s

If we have fewer documents on the ancient history of central and
eastern Sudan than on that of the western portion, it is principally
because, at first, the Muslims and then the Europeans did not enter
into relations with the centre and east of Negro Africa until long
after having penetrated to the heart of the regions situated farther
to the west. The Islamisation and exploration of the country ex-
tending to the east of the Niger are relatively very recent.

The numerous and very interesting people called the Hausa or
Afno, whose habitat is located between the Songhoy and Bornu,
were at all times divided into several little States which seem to
have been tributary to each other by turns, without any one of them
having had a veritable preeminence over the others. There were
and still are: Gober or the Kingdom of Tessawa, celebrated since
the 16thcentury for its cotton fabrics and its leather footgear; the
kingdom of Kano, whose capital was already populous at the time
of Leo the African and well known for its imposing wall as well as
for its commerce and industry; that of Katsena, renowned for its
agricultural riches and its military power; that of Zegzeg or Zaria,
of whose commercial prosperity has always been boasted, and of
which it is claimed that formerly, thanks to the energy of a woman
who was then its sovereign, it had extended its power over all the
Hausa countries; and still others, notably the kingdoms of Zinder,
of the Zanfara, the Kantagora, the Bauchi, etc.

It seems that these diverse States were united in the 15thcentury
under the authority of the kantas or kings of the Kebbi, a country
situated to the southwest of Sokoto and to the west of Gando,
whose inhabitants are thought to be the descendants of a crossing
of the Songhoy and the Hausa. Towards the year 1500 reined a
kanta who passed for being master of Katsena, Kano, Zaria, the
Gober and the Zanfara and for having extended his power over
the Aïr Mountains. The Sultan of Bornu, Ali, who had just estab-
lished himself at Gassaro to the west of Chad, wanted to put an
end to the rapid expansion of the Kebbi and attacked the kanta in
his residence at Surami, but after an indecisive siege he was
obliged to retire. The king of the Kebbi pursued him, overtook him
in the east of Katsena and put his army to flight. As the latter was
retracing his steps, he was attacked by revolting Katsena people,
struck by an arrow, and died of his wounds.

In 1513, his successor made an alliance with the askia Mohammed,

who aided him in recapturing Katsena and, in 1515, Agades.

Fearing to see his States pass under the suzerainty of Gao, the kanta

broke the treaty of alliance. In 1517, he inflicted a complete defeat

on the army that the askia had sent against him and re-established the

real authority of the Kebbi over the Katsena and the whole of the

Hausa countries. But around 1600, the kings of Gober and Zanfara

united with the king of the Aïr Mountains against the kanta then living,

vanquished him, destroyed his three principal towns (Gungu, Surami

and Liki) and freed the Hausa from the yoke of the Kebbi.

The Islamisation of the Hausa, or more exactly of a certain

portion of them, goes back only to the beginning of the 19th

The Negroes of Central and Eastern Sudan

Nyangwa water-pipe (Makonde).

Mozambique.

Terracotta, wood, coconut shell, beads, height: 27 cm.

Private collection.

As a highly desirable commodity among the Makonde, appearing to be

associated with personal attributions such as generosity, tobacco’s importance

has made it a widely exchanged item for goods and services. The profound

economy of design seen on this water-pipe make it characteristic of the most

exquisite Makonde art. Through the inventiveness of form of the sculpted pair

of legs, it is clear that that creator invented a subtle design of the human body

seated atop the pipe, where the bowl represents the head and the coconut

shell represents the buttocks. The stem holder includes a carrying handle and

the sculpted legs are adorned with miniature beadwork anklets. The delicate

incised lines are indicative of Makonde pottery, this combined with the

terracotta stem-holder make it very unique, a suggestion which implies that it

was made by an expert.

In general, water-pipes belonged to important members of society, such as

clan leaders and ritual experts. Closely linked with their owners, water-pipes

such as this represent one of the most treasured and intimate personal object of

a member of the Makonde. This particular pipe may have been made for the

potter’s personal use or in exchange for other goods. Either way, the intricacy of

this pipe made it not only useful for smoking, but also as an object of display,

meant to be admired.