Friction oracle "itombwa" in crocodile form ·  D. R. Congo, Kuba · ID: 3046729

Description

wood, red pigment, plant fibre, rest.

Friction oracles were used to mediate between diviners and omniscient nature spirits “ngesh” in order to determine the cause of illnesses and appropriate courses of treatment, as well as to expose dishonesty.

Friction oracles of the Kuba are predominantly zoomorphic in form, representing bush pig, dog or mostly a crocodile. A saying of the Kuba is “the crocodile never lies”.

When initiating a consultation, the diviner moistens the implement with oil or water and rubs it on the friction oracle’s back.

For a medical consultation, the diviner performs the action while making a series of statements about potential measures that might be taken (for example, “don’t eat manioc”, “don’t smoke tobacco”, etc.); when the most appropriate treatment is mentioned, the rubbing implement suddenly stops moving, and the diviner feels it resisting his efforts and sticking to the surface of the oracle.

The object Friction oracle “itombwa” in crocodile form with the object ID 3046729 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 256.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.

Comparing literature

LaGamma, Alisa, Art and Oracle, African Art and Rituals of Divination, The Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York 2000, p. 44 f.