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About the Artisans
Making Shona Sculpture in Zimbabwe
The people
The Shona people have a history of carving in stone that dates back about 1,200 years.
Zimbabwe translates from the Shona language to “House of Stone”.
The second largest stone ruins in all of Africa are The Great Zimbabwe. At this ancient stone city, archaeologists discovered huge monolithic eagles carved in stone which are now known as Zimbabwe birds.
A widespread resurgence of stone carving happened in Zimbabwe in the 1970’s and 80’s.
The creation process
Zimbabwe is one of the most geologically diverse countries for its size. This gives the sculptors an amazing array of natural stones to carve.
Various stones are selected for carving and dug from the ground using simple pry bars or shovels.
Most artists work using simple hand tools and very few have electric tools. The stone is carved using ideas derived from the artists’ imaginations, dreams or family carving styles.
After rough shaping, the stone is smoothed with rasps. Then it is sanded with several fine grades of sandpaper. The stone is kept wet while sanding to achieve the smoothest finish.
The sculpture is heated by fire until it reaches around 400 degrees. Then it is removed and clear wax is applied in many, many layers as the stone cools.
At the right moment, the wax is buffed to create the shiny finish. Only clear wax is used and only the natural colors and inclusions in the stones show through.
Caring for your sculpture
Caution – stone is fragile. It can be damaged if not handled with care.
The stone is 100% natural so it will last generations if handled with care.
The wax coating can be affected by UV rays from the sun … should a piece become dull looking or get a scratch, you can let it warm in the sun and apply a clear ‘carnauba wax’ or clear shoe polish. After applying, let cool and buff with clean, soft terry cloth to renew the polished finish.
About Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. A country of roughly 14 million people, Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele the most common.
Since the 11th century, present-day Zimbabwe has been the site of several organized states and kingdoms such as the Rozvi and Mthwakazi kingdoms, as well as being a major route for migration and trade. The British South Africa Company invaded and subdued the country in the late 19th century, leading to the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as a British colony. In 1965, the conservative white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia. The state endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces, which ended with in a peace agreement that established universal enfranchisement and de jure sovereignty as Zimbabwe in 1980.
Under Robert Mugabe’s authoritarian regime (1980-2017), the state security apparatus dominated the country and was responsible for widespread human rights violations. The country has been in economic decline since the 1990s, experiencing several crashes and hyperinflation along the way.
Source: Wikipedia
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