Artists Profile

Root Carvings

The Kavango people live in the north of Namibia and are traditionally attached to the skill of woodcarving. They usually start carving during childhood already. In our case the carvings are created by four naturally talented Kavango woodcarvers. These rather unique and indigenous artworks have received recognition and won awards at various Namibian National Art Competitions. Our artwork ranges from fine art to abstract sculptures which reflect the African spirit, and is enjoyed and appreciated by collectors and individuals throughout the world.

Ndingi Ndumba

Born January 20, 1968 in Rundu

Ndingi was born in a small village called Sambyu in the Kavango region. His father was a carver, blacksmith, instrument maker and musician. His mother was a housewife and loved to sing. Ndingi is the oldest of seven children. He has two brothers and four sisters. He attended school in Rundu and graduated at grade 10, left Rundu to work in the Khomas Highlands and later started on a vegetable farm next to Omaruru. He met Paulo Cashinga and the other carvers of Tikoloshe Afrika. Initially a day labourer, Ndingi was busy digging up a large, dry old camel thorn tree for several months.

After not getting tired of this work, Paul Goldbach offered him a job as a carver in the team. This turned out to be a lucky strike (we later carved a 2 – 3 meter big group of monkeys from the camel thorn roots). Ndingi is a fan of FC Bayern Munich. Ndingi married in December 2002 and now has three children. Two boys and a girl, 25, 22 and 20 years old respectively. His favorite carvings are warthogs, rhinos, elephants and turtles. The viewer recognizes the works by their edged, rough style.

Alberto Kambinda

Born March 4, 1970 in Sambyu

Known as Lipenda, comes from a small village in the Kavango region. His father was a fisherman and he was raised by his grandmother. He has a sister and three half-brothers. He attended school in Rundu and started working on a farm in Tsumeb district, where he met Paulo Cashinga, the foreman of the Tikoloshe team. In 1993 he joined the group of carvers as the seventh man.

At that time we had moved from the farm near Tsumeb to a farm next to Kalkfeld. In his youth he liked to box– his favorite sport. Lipenda married in May 2008 and he has seven children. Three girls and four boys aged 22, 18, 15, 9, 7, 5 years and the last six months. As a carver he prefers to do big as well as small pieces. Lipenda often tries his hand on whole groups of elephants besides hippos and rhinos. He also likes doing giraffes, cats of prey and chameleons.

Rino “Lino” Johannes Kativa

Born June 17, 1979 in Rupapa

Lino was born in a village called Rupara in the Kavango region. His father was a wood carver and his mother a homemaker. He is one of two children and has a sister. He attended school in Sauyama in the Kavango Region and started to work at Tikoloshe Afrika in 1996. As a youngster he was introduced by Lipenda Kambinda and began carving out of sheer boredom.

Appreciating his efforts Paul started to pay him by the piece and later he got integrated in the team. Lino is also a soccer fan of the FC Liverpool. Lino has three children with Martha – the Sales Consultant at Tikoloshe Afrika. They are three boys aged 17, 10 and 8 years respectively. Lino mostly produces small, witty carvings. He specializes on rhinos, hippos, elephants, owls and other birds. A touch of naivity underlines his specific style.

Johannes Lirunga

Born February 5, 1974 in Kasote

Johannes was born in the district town of Kavango West named Nkurenkuru. His father passed away when he was four years old and he was raised by his mother who kept the home fire burning by working in the Mahongo Fields. He is one of two children and has a sister. He attended school in Rundu for 5 years and through Paulo Cashinga he came to the farm near Tsumeb in 1995 as the third man after Paulus and his half-brother Kalinga (Franz Moses) to join the root carvers, the group at that time known as "Kavango Art".

Football is his favorite sport and in his youth he played it himself. Johannes is a fan of FC Barcelona. Johannes got married in 2009 and four children came out of this marriage. Three daughters and a son. Who are 23, 16, 14 and 11 years old. His wife is a market woman selling vegetables. Johannes, nowadays the foreman, prefers a realistic image in making large and small parts. He likes to do elephants, warthogs, rhinos, gazelles and monkeys. One of his carvings has been awarded 1999 at the Standard Bank Biennale.