Snakes play an important part in African cultural life and are revered in many black cultures.
A snake carving shows respect for this animal and brings protection to its owner. Eastern Africa stretches from Sudan in the north to Mozambique in the south, and includes the countries of Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and the island nation of Madagascar. In these nations as elsewhere on the continent, indigenous African religions require statues, masks, and other objects for use in rituals of initiation, marriage, and death. In Malawi, masks were developed for rites of male initiation, as well as for maintaining close contact with the ancestors. In Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya, we find finely carved wooden headrests, baskets, wooden vessels and beadwork.