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Start Over Object class Figurines Culture or time period Suku
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1577, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish,” five string beaded neck ornament; Membwolu (Northwest Basuku). Height 13.32 cm. For data on Mumbwolu, see 5-1554. Figurines 5-1577-83 are all “old,” i.e. they were carved and used in shrines before 1950-- this the terminal date; actually age may be more, although it’s doubtful they would be pre-1940. Carvers unknown. All from Secteur Bindungi, Territoire Masi-Manimba.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1554, described as Carved wooden figurine with a rag skirt. Suku “fetish”; Mumbwolu (Northeast Basuku). Height 35.53 cm. Carved by the same man as 5-1553. Contemporary. This mukisi (kisungu) associated with the following diseases: stumbling walk, paralysis of legs, emaciation (and, in children, kwashiorkor, the widespread protein deficiency disease).
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1559, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 38.72 cm. 5-1559-62 were carved by the same men as 5-1550. Figurines are viewed definitely as bad carving by the Suku. They were carved on order by collector, and each is not identified with specific mukisi name. Informants said that such figurines could be used, if necessary, with any mukisi, but only when no good carving was available in short, as a last resort. If at all possible, a better carving would be substituted later. Contemporary.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1557, described as Carved wooden figurine with grass skirt, Suku “fetish;” Mumbwolu. Height 35.53 cm. Carved by a young man ca. 30-35 years old [as of ca. 1960], who was seen as a competent but not first-class carver. From village near the administrative center of the Secteur Lobo, territoire Feshi. E. Suku. Contemporary. See comment on 5-51154.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1582, described as Carved wooden male figurine, Suku “fetish;” one ear (left) missing; Mumbwolu (Northwest Basuku). 33.02 cm. For data on Mumbwolu see 5-1554.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1560, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 24.75 cm. See remarks on card for 5-1559.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1579, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” hollowed out from midriff down. Nzasi (Northwest Basuku). 25.4 cm. Nzasi diseases are the same as for Koshi (see 5-1555).
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1553, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Mbambi (Northeast Baasuku). Height 48.23 cm. Mbambi figurine. Carved by a man from Mungulu village of Secteur Pay, Territoire Masi-Manimba. The manwas regarded as a good sculptor by the Suku. Figurine is part of the paraphernalia of the “war medicine” Mbambi. The medicine was first introduced shortly before 1920, by the Suku king from the Bambala to the north. It was given to groups of elders in each chieftaincy who constituted a kind of “policeforce” led by local political chief or his representative. Every member of the police society was responsible for enforcing peace and order in his vicinity; he had the right to collect fines from those creating disorders (fines shared by all the other policemen of the chieftaincy), and could count upon the help of other members of the police-society in case of resistance by wrong-doers.
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1556, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Konju (West Basuku). Height 20.31 cm. Konju. Figurine part of paraphernalia of medicine of kisungu type, associated with diseases involving limb deformation, especially of the foot/leg. Contemporary. Carved by a young man, ca. 30 years old [ as of ca. 1960], regarded as a good carver by the Suku, from village near the Bayaka border, on the left side of the river Bakali, in the administrative Secteur of Ganaketi. The Suku here are culturally very close to the Yaka on the other side of the river (in fact, some lineages are split by the formal boundary between the two kingdoms).
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1561, described as Carved wooden figurine, Suku “fetish;” Northeast Basuku. Height 20.94 cm. See remarks on card for 5-1559.

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