Skip to search Skip to main content Skip to first result

Hearst Museum Portal

About
Bookmarks 0
History
Feedback
Login

Search in

Advanced Search Give

Search

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Collector Igor Kopytoff ✖ Remove constraint Collector: Igor Kopytoff Culture or time period Suku ✖ Remove constraint Culture or time period: Suku

1 -to 9 of 9

Object name Museum number

Number of results to display per page

10 per page 20 per page 50 per page 100 per page

View results as:

List view Gallery view Masonry view Slideshow view

Search Results

Hearst Museum object titled Basket, accession number 5-1629, described as Openwork carrying basket - Muyebdu; attached grass rope strap; NW Suku; height: 26.5" 67.24cm, diameter: 18" 45.72cm Used by women going to the fields to carry hoe, for bringing back manioc tubers, and for carrying firewood. Used now preponderantly by W. half of Suku group, and also by the Bayaka. E. Suku like their neighbors the BaSonde, use preponderantly at present the basket type 5-1633, which is carried on the head. Traditionally, however, all Suku used the muyendi.

Hearst Museum object titled Cup, accession number 5-1565, described as Calabash Suku cup for drinking palm wine; diameter: 1.75" 4.4cm, height: 2.75" 6.99cm

Hearst Museum object titled Cup, accession number 5-1585a, described as Suku wooden mortar and pestle for tobacco - Kuyu a makaya; a) mortar; height: 5.25" 13.32cm, diameter: 2.5" 6.35 cm b) pestle missing when unpacked 3/23/1960

Hearst Museum object titled Doughnut shaped woven basketry material, accession number 5-1654, described as Stabilizer- doughnut shaped For keeping round-bottomed pot standing on ground. Sometimes also used on the head when carrying calabash or pot

Image Missing: Hearst Museum object titled Gourd, accession number 5-1653, described as Calabash for wine (palm or bamboo). Constricted mouth, looped fiber handle. height: 10" 25.4cm

Hearst Museum object titled Grass comb, accession number 5-1589, described as Suku comb, wooden, twined handle; length: 6.75" 17.15 cm, width: 3.25" 8.21cm Now made under acculturative influence of Eastern tribes (Ba Pende, Baluba, etc) This shape is recent, and making this comb has been learned from the eastern neighbors thru contacts at administrative posts. It was not made "traditionally", that is, before European occupation. Collected from E. Suku, in Feshi post. Made by young man ca. 20-25 years old. Traditionally combs were made of wood (carved); these are not made anymore. Another type of comb which has come widely into use and apparently was also used traditionally is a simple piece of flat wood with nails hammered through it.

Hearst Museum object titled Mat, accession number 5-1650, described as Raphis cloth; 29"x29", 73.7cm x 73.7cm At present, very little raphia cloth is woven by the Suku; among the NW Suku where this was bought, there are only a few workers left. The cloth has been entirely replaced by cotton cloth obtained in stores, and by European clothes among the younger generation. European occupation, the Suku were well-known raphia cloth makers. The region is poor in raphia palm. Raw raphia was bought from the Bambala to the north and the BaKwese and BaPende to the east. The raw raphia was woven and then sold eastward and southward, to the Bayaka and especially to the BaTsoso of Angola (who lived to the West of the upper Kwango River), who were the main intermediaries in trade with the Portugese on the coast. The Suku sometimes organized regular trade caravans, consisting of several people; they took to the BaTsoso raphia cloth and palm-oil (traded from the BaMbala), and sometimes, in small numbers, slaves. The BaTsoso in return gave salt (salt deposits are found in their region), and cloth and iron obtained from the Portuguese, and nzimbu (small shells, but not cowries, used as currency in the Kwango region). These shells of the Suku passed on later to the BaMbala and the BaSonde and BaPende and BaKwese when they traded with them. Being thus intermediaries between the BaTsoso and the other, the Suku were known as always being rich, in the old days, in shell money.

Hearst Museum object titled Shirt, accession number 5-1628, described as Grass shirt -- Hemba; width: 37.5" 95.23cm, length: 21" 53.3 cm Collected from N.W. fuku This skirt is used by dancers wearing the Humba mask. Humba masked dancers perform, traditionally, at circumcision ceremonies. They are professionals in that they are trained, undergoing an apprenticeship with an established Humba dancer and paying her for this training. An established dancer, usually accompanied by a trainee and (approx. April to Aug.) when circumcision ceremonies take place, performs his dances, furnishes medicines to prevent excessive bleeding during the operation, and insures, by dancing, the success of the ceremony. He is paid a fee by the village chief, and receives small gifts during dancing from spectators, especially the parents of the boys being circumcised.

Hearst Museum object titled Wooden cone and wooden stick, accession number 5-1586a,b, described as Suku wooden mortar and pestle for tobacco - Kuyu a makaya; a) mortar; height: 14.5" 36.81cm, diameter: 2.5" 6.35 cm b) pestle; length 16" 40.64 cm

Hearst Museum object titled Basket, accession number 5-1629, described as Openwork carrying basket - Muyebdu; attached grass rope strap; NW Suku; height: 26.5" 67.24cm, diameter: 18" 45.72cm Used by women going to the fields to carry hoe, for bringing back manioc tubers, and for carrying firewood. Used now preponderantly by W. half of Suku group, and also by the Bayaka. E. Suku like their neighbors the BaSonde, use preponderantly at present the basket type 5-1633, which is carried on the head. Traditionally, however, all Suku used the muyendi.

Basket

1 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Cup, accession number 5-1565, described as Calabash Suku cup for drinking palm wine; diameter: 1.75" 4.4cm, height: 2.75" 6.99cm

Cup

2 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Cup, accession number 5-1585a, described as Suku wooden mortar and pestle for tobacco - Kuyu a makaya; a) mortar; height: 5.25" 13.32cm, diameter: 2.5" 6.35 cm b) pestle missing when unpacked 3/23/1960

Cup

3 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Doughnut shaped woven basketry material, accession number 5-1654, described as Stabilizer- doughnut shaped For keeping round-bottomed pot standing on ground. Sometimes also used on the head when carrying calabash or pot

Doughnut shaped woven basketry material

4 of 9

Gourd

5 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Grass comb, accession number 5-1589, described as Suku comb, wooden, twined handle; length: 6.75" 17.15 cm, width: 3.25" 8.21cm Now made under acculturative influence of Eastern tribes (Ba Pende, Baluba, etc) This shape is recent, and making this comb has been learned from the eastern neighbors thru contacts at administrative posts. It was not made "traditionally", that is, before European occupation. Collected from E. Suku, in Feshi post. Made by young man ca. 20-25 years old. Traditionally combs were made of wood (carved); these are not made anymore. Another type of comb which has come widely into use and apparently was also used traditionally is a simple piece of flat wood with nails hammered through it.

Grass comb

6 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Mat, accession number 5-1650, described as Raphis cloth; 29"x29", 73.7cm x 73.7cm At present, very little raphia cloth is woven by the Suku; among the NW Suku where this was bought, there are only a few workers left. The cloth has been entirely replaced by cotton cloth obtained in stores, and by European clothes among the younger generation. European occupation, the Suku were well-known raphia cloth makers. The region is poor in raphia palm. Raw raphia was bought from the Bambala to the north and the BaKwese and BaPende to the east. The raw raphia was woven and then sold eastward and southward, to the Bayaka and especially to the BaTsoso of Angola (who lived to the West of the upper Kwango River), who were the main intermediaries in trade with the Portugese on the coast. The Suku sometimes organized regular trade caravans, consisting of several people; they took to the BaTsoso raphia cloth and palm-oil (traded from the BaMbala), and sometimes, in small numbers, slaves. The BaTsoso in return gave salt (salt deposits are found in their region), and cloth and iron obtained from the Portuguese, and nzimbu (small shells, but not cowries, used as currency in the Kwango region). These shells of the Suku passed on later to the BaMbala and the BaSonde and BaPende and BaKwese when they traded with them. Being thus intermediaries between the BaTsoso and the other, the Suku were known as always being rich, in the old days, in shell money.

Mat

7 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Shirt, accession number 5-1628, described as Grass shirt -- Hemba; width: 37.5" 95.23cm, length: 21" 53.3 cm Collected from N.W. fuku This skirt is used by dancers wearing the Humba mask. Humba masked dancers perform, traditionally, at circumcision ceremonies. They are professionals in that they are trained, undergoing an apprenticeship with an established Humba dancer and paying her for this training. An established dancer, usually accompanied by a trainee and (approx. April to Aug.) when circumcision ceremonies take place, performs his dances, furnishes medicines to prevent excessive bleeding during the operation, and insures, by dancing, the success of the ceremony. He is paid a fee by the village chief, and receives small gifts during dancing from spectators, especially the parents of the boys being circumcised.

Shirt

8 of 9

Hearst Museum object titled Wooden cone and wooden stick, accession number 5-1586a,b, described as Suku wooden mortar and pestle for tobacco - Kuyu a makaya; a) mortar; height: 14.5" 36.81cm, diameter: 2.5" 6.35 cm b) pestle; length 16" 40.64 cm

Wooden cone and wooden stick

9 of 9

Limit your search

Cup2 objects
Basket1 objects
Doughnut shaped woven basketry material1 objects
Gourd1 objects
Grass comb1 objects
Mat1 objects
Shirt1 objects
Wooden cone and wooden stick1 objects

Ground stone3 objects
Stone tools3 objects
Worked stone3 objects
Basketry (object genre)2 objects
Baskets (containers)2 objects
Grinding stones2 objects
Mortars (grinding tools)2 objects
Baskets by technique1 objects
Berries1 objects
Carvings (visual works)1 objects

more Object class »

ethnography9 objects

legacy documentation9 objects
image8 objects

Africa9 objects
Central Africa9 objects
Congo Basin, Africa9 objects
Democratic Republic of the Congo9 objects

View distribution

Current results range from 1959 to 1959

Year collected range begin Year collected range end

[Missing]8 objects

Igor KopytoffRemove constraint Collector: Igor Kopytoff9 objects

Igor Kopytoff9 objects
University Appropriation9 objects

African cultures9 objects
Bantu9 objects
Bantu (Zone H)9 objects
SukuRemove constraint Culture or time period: Suku9 objects

Grass (plant material)1 objects
Wood (plant material)1 objects

Acc.13029 objects

View distribution

Current results range from 1959 to 1959

Accession year range begin Accession year range end

1.5 Household3 objects
5.5 Stimulants, Narcotics, and Accessories2 objects
1.6 Manufacturing, Constructing, Craft, and Professional Pursuits1 objects
1.8 Toilet Articles1 objects
2.0 Use not specified (Secular Dress and Accoutrements, and Adornment)1 objects
4.1 Dwellings and Furnishings1 objects

S1962-1963 #20: United Presbyterian Church (October 16, 1962–October 17, 1962)1 objects
S1967-1968 #137: Design Department (UC Berkeley) (May 15, 1968–May 28, 1968)1 objects
S1979-1980 #18: American Federation of Arts (October 25, 1979–September 25, 1981)1 objects

Proudly located at:

About
Events
Request A Research Visit
Descendant Communities
Policies, Services and Fees

Contact

103 Anthropology and Art Practice Building #3712 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-3712

510-642-3682

Connect

© 2025 The Regents of the University of California, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Committed to accessibility and nondiscrimination.