Object class: Carvings (visual works) / Donor: Igor Kopytoff / Loans: S1974-1975 #4: University Art Museum (UC Berkeley) (July 19, 1974–February 7, 1975) - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Object class Carvings (visual works) Donor Igor Kopytoff Loans S1974-1975 #4: University Art Museum (UC Berkeley) (July 19, 1974–February 7, 1975)

Hearst Museum object titled Wooden figure and stick, accession number 5-1550a,b, described as Suku Ngombu figurine with stick. (a) Figurine. Height 45.69 cm. (b) Stick. Length 34.25 cm. Figurine belongs to diviners. Stick used to tap the figurine in the manner of a “talking drum” during divination. N.E. Suku of Congo. Carver is from Secteur Pay, Territoire Masi-Manimba. Carver ca. 50 years old [as of ca 1960]. Item is not viewed as “splendid carving” by Suku. Figurine is used as “talking drum” during divination; it is struck with the stick. The set is part of the paraphernalia of the “mukisi” Ngombu, which is the medicine (”kisumgu”: lineage medicine) which, when is “seizes/attacks” a person, makes him into a diviner.