Eastern Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia
Chokwe

Wood, hide, fiber rope
Mid 20th century
Height: 35 inches; Diameter: 14 inches
Membranophone – Struck (Directly) – Single Headed

The Chokwe are well known for art objects produced to celebrate and validate the royal court. These objects include ornately carved stools and chairs used as thrones. This hand carved drum (ngoma) from a single log shows high relief carving of a lizard/alligator and ancestral faces. The Chokwe recognize Kalunga, the god of creation and supreme power, and a series of nature and ancestral spirits (mahamba). These spirits may belong to the individual, family, or the community. This symbolic village drum shows signs of tribal usage and aging.

The word ngoma means drum in many cultures across Africa.