Lozi Presentation Tray with Pair of Birds

This serving or offering tray, used for food storage and presentation, depicts a pair of waterbirds, possibly ducks or grebes. The Lozi people lived in a region in the middle of the Zambezi, close to Victoria Falls, which was already a major tourist attraction by the 19th century, particularly after the completion of the Tazara railway. The presence of tourists at Victoria Falls, and Lozi lands soon after, gave Lozi carvers an additional outlet for their creative impulses. This does not mean that such vessels were carved for the tourist trade, but rather that carvers found themselves with greater latitude and additional income, and were rewarded for their imagination. 

15″ W

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