Democratic Republic of Congo
Hemba

Wood. rattan, seeds, seed pods
Mid 20th Century
Length: 12.25 in
Idiophone – Struck Indirectly – Shaken -Rattle

This sculptured rattle is the epitome of Hemba ancestral figures. Typically  Hemba figures (‘singiti’) are represented as males, standing on a circular base, with short bent legs, elongated torsos, hands on their stomachs (usually protuberant, perhaps representing a gesture for good health, wealth or prosperity).  The enlarged head shows a thin beard with a backward-swept coiffure terminating in a cross design hairdo, that can be seen from the back, symbolizing the four directions of the universe and meeting place of spirits.  

Although the Luba people failed to keep the southern Hemba in their kingdom they did have considerable cultural influence.   Art forms, including wooden sculptures representing ancestors, are similar in style to Luba sculptures. The Hemba had very talented sculptors and the art of the tribe is mainly known for the ancestor figures (‘singiti”), considered symbols of power who could exude astonishing serenity and natural authority.

Of the artistic production between the Luba and Hemba, there is a differentiation in terms of the delicacy of the carving.  The Hembe figures are sharper and more detailed in design quality.  The Hemba are also known for their decoration of secular and utilitarian objects, notably caryatid stools, headrests and instruments as seen here.  This rattle shows usage and a dark satin patina