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.
Donor:
Igor Kopytoff and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Verbatim coll. place:
Africa, Suku
Culture or time period:
Suku
Materials:
Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Function:
5.1 Religion and Divination: Objects and garb associated with practices reflecting submission, devotion, obedience, and service to supernatural agencies
Accession date:
1960
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Loans:
S1974-1975 #4: University Art Museum (UC Berkeley) (July 19, 1974–February 7, 1975)