Staff of office "dibulu"
French Private Collection
Description
wood, dark brown patina, remains of kaolin, round staff, wrapped with bands of copper sheet, lower part carved in relief with two standing figures, on top crowned by a head showing tribe-typical facial features, supporting a board-shaped flattened head crest, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion and corrosion;
the numerous dignitaries within the hierarchy of the erstwhile Luba-Empire - king, regional sovereign, village chief and clan eldest - disposed of a rich supply of administrative signs. The most frequently used signs of dignity are staffs of office, like the present one. The broad sections of Luba staffs, called “dibulu”, represent the administrative centers that are part of every royal captial. The long, unadorned shafts represent uninhabited savannahs and signify the roads leading to the administrative centers of the kingdom. The metal point at the bottom of most staffs signifies both, the material wealth and the strength of the chiefdom that the staff honours.