Minneapolis Institute of Art
Itwomba
Kuba artistLinkedCulture matchlcp-63dceae6cd55
- Date
- 19th-20th century
- Medium
- Wood
- Culture
- Kuba
- Department
- Arts of Global Africa
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Object ID
- 4362
From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record
Itwomba are used in special divination rites to identify witches, thieves and adulterers, and to ascertain the cause of an illness or death. A diviner places a drop of oil or other liquid on the smooth, flat surface of the itwomba's back. He then proceeds to rub a small conical disc back and forth over the oil while chanting a sequence of names and formulas. When the disc sticks to the surface, the name that was spoken at that instant is the answer to the diviner's question. Itwomba are usually made in the form of an animal. This itwomba is an elephant. Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund
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