Tukula Paste Block (Bongotol)

20th century

Not on view

Tukula, a bright red pigment, is obtained by rubbing together pieces of heartwood from a tropical tree. Two tree species, Camwood (Bafia nitra) and African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), are valued for their red heartwood. Ground in a mortar, tukula becomes a fine powder that is mixed with palm oil to create a paste, which can be variously shaped. Tukula can be used as a textile dye, paint for carved objects, and for cosmetics. When baked, tukula paste hardens into blocks (known as bongotol), which are decorated and presented as funerary gifts. The incised patterns deploy the same abstract and graphic vocabulary as that found on other Kuba prestige items.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Tukula Paste Block (Bongotol)
Date: 20th century
Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Culture: Kuba peoples
Medium: Tukula paste
Dimensions: 3 1/2 × 6 1/2 in. (8.9 × 16.5 cm)
Classification: Wood
Credit Line: Gift of Eve Glasberg and Amyas Naegele, 2013
Object Number: 2013.1140.18
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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