Shetani (Spirit Carvings)
Shetani (singular and plural in English, mashetani in Swahili) are spirits of East African mythology prevalent in Mozambique, particularly among the Makonde people of the northern Cabo Delgado province. These are mostly malevolent entities that manifest in a bewildering variety of forms with different powers and attributes. Physically, shetani of various types appear as distorted human and animal figures, often with exaggerated features, multiple limbs, or hybrid forms combining human and animal characteristics. What makes Mozambique's shetani tradition particularly distinctive is the extraord