The Tutsi are a pastoral people that used
cylindrical wooden vessels to collect milk, hold honey & carry food.
When the European colonists conducted a census, they wanted
to identify the people throughout Rwanda & Burundi according to a
simple classification scheme. They defined "Tutsi" as anyone owning
more than 10 cows (a sign of wealth) or with the physical feature of
a longer nose, or longer neck, commonly associated with the Tutsi.
A person could change from Hutu to Tutsi by obtaining enough cows
to acquire the status. Metal repairs were often made to extend the
useful life of their milk vessels, and this native repair work adds character. This vessel has some age cracks.
(Bamboo not included).
Provenance: Douglas Dawson Gallery, Chicago, IL.
Height: 16 ⅞".
Diameter is 5 ⅜" at the bottom, 3 ½" on top with an inner diameter of 3".
