MC1506 Oracle Songye divination tool implement Congo

MC1506 Oracle Songye divination tool implement Congo

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English description below

CONGO DRC

Katatora SONGYE

Katatora are tools used for divination (Kashekesheke) 
The Songye are a people living in the wooded savannas
of the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They have created some of the most impressive masks and statues (fetishes) in black African art. Kifwebe masks evoke us
instantly Cubism.
As for the fetishes, Mankishi (plural of "Nkishi"), they are figures of power,
They serve as relays with the spirits of the dead, very present in religion...
They are used in "magical" rites serving the interest and well-being of an individual or a family unit (small statuettes) or the entire community.

They are also famous for their shields and panels
boxes, stools with caryatids, axes, neckrests, oracles, etc....

Features:
TYPE OF OBJECT: instrument of divination
ETHNIC GROUP: Songye
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Democratic Republic of Congo DRC
(ex Belgian Congo, ex Zaire).
MATERIAL: Wood, shells (cowries)
DIMENSIONS: Height: 19 cm.
CONDITION: Average
( See photos).

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Bibliography - SONGYE - Bibliography

Masks - Masks

- Songye masks and figure sculpture, Dunja Hersak London 1985
- Colors, Streaks and Projections, Dunja Hersak, in Objects Signs of Africa, Texts collected by Luc de Heusch, Snoek, Pages 161-173
- Art and Power in the Central African Savannah, Constantin Petridis, Mercator Fund, Cleveland Museum of Art, 2008
- Masks Kifwebe, Woods Dawy, Tribal Art Magazine N° 20 Spring 2008 Pages 102-113
- Songye; the formidable Songye statuary of Central Africa, François Neyt, Mercator Fund, 2009.

Fetishes - Power figures
- Songye; the formidable Songye statuary of Central Africa, François Neyt, Mercator Fund, 2009.
- Art and Power in the Central African Savannah, Constantin Petridis, Mercator Fund, Cleveland Museum of Art, 2008
- Sculptures and Forms of Africa, François Neyt and Hugues Dubois, Editions 5 Continents, 2018

Shields - Shields
- Objects Signs of Africa, texts brought together by Luc de Heusch, "Colors, Stries and Projections", Dunja Hersak, sd Snoek, Pages 161-173
- Shields, Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania from the collection Barbier-Mueller Museum, Jean-Paul Barbier, Alain-Michel Boyer, P. Benitez-Johannot, Prestel, 2000
- Shields of Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania from the Barbier-Mueller Museum, Jean-Paul Barbier, Alain-Michel Boyer, P. Benitez-Johannot, Adam Biro, 1998
- Arts of Black Africa, in the Barbier Mueller collection, presented by Werner Schmalenbach, Fondation Maeght, 1989 p264 Note by Joseph Cornet
- Songye; the formidable Songye statuary of Central Africa, François Neyt, Mercator Fund, 2009.
- Songye masks and figure sculpture, Dunja Hersak London 1985
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Congo DRC

SONGYE KATATORA

Katatora are implements used for divination (Kashekesheke)


The Songye are a people living in the wooded savannas
of the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They have created some of the most impressive masks and statues (fetishes) in African art. Kifwebe masks evoke us
instantly Cubism.
As for the fetishes, Mankishi (plural of "Nkishi"), they are figures of power, used as relays with the spirits of the dead, very present in religion...
They are used in "magical" rites serving the interest and well-being of an individual or a family unit (small statuettes) or the entire community.

They are also famous for their shields and panels
boxes, stools with caryatids, axes, neckrests, oracles, etc....


Features:

TYPE OF OBJECT: Divination instrument
ETHNIC GROUP: Songye
ORIGIN: Democratic Republic of Congo.
MATERIAL: Wood, shells (cowries)
DIMENSIONS: About 7 1/2 inches high (19 cm)
CONDITION: Medium
Please have a look on the pictures.