Rattle: Face

19th–20th century

Not on view

Elaborately carved bells such as this one, called madibu (sing. dibu), are instruments used by Kongo ritual specialists, or nganga. Associated with hunting practices, madibu are commissioned by men to be strapped around the necks of their dogs during the hunt. This hunt can be thought of symbolically as well as literally: hunting dogs scent game in the forest but are also known to see and hear otherworldly presences. When sounded by the nganga, madibu function as mystical percussive instruments that allude to the dogs’ heightened sensory abilities. The eyes on the carefully carved stylized face of this dibu, enhanced by mirrored glass, suggest the surface of water, a symbolic link to the other realm.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Rattle: Face
Date: 19th–20th century
Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Culture: Kongo peoples
Medium: Wood, fiber twine, glass
Dimensions: H. 10 1/2 x W. 6 1/8 x D. 4 1/8 in. (26.7 x 15.5 x 10.5 cm)
Classification: Wood-Musical Instruments
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.35
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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