Zambeze River Region in Angola
Lwena

Calabash, cowrie shells, skin, nut shells, fiber rope
Mid-20th century
Height: 19 inches; Width: 19 inches; Depth: 12 inches
Membranophone – Friction

This drum has a rope attached to the center of the drum head. The drummer pulls a moistened rope/cloth through the hole producing a squeaky sound which is amplified in the chamber.

The Lwena people are closely related to Chokwe and their history is interconnected with both Chokwe and Lunda political movements. Their political system consists of chiefs, Mwana Yamvo, who consult with a committee of elders and ritual specialists for guidance. They support themselves from fishing in the wet plains of the Zambeze River, in Angola. The Lwena focus their artwork on carving female figures, which can be found on decorative prestige objects such as combs, thumb pianos, and masks.  Their masks differ from the Chokwe by the display of a spherical cross-hatched coiffure, that is divided by a vertical ridge and angular linear scarifications on their cheeks.

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