back bounded-next cafe calendar-large calendar cart close coat-check collapse donate download elevators expand explore filter grid-view hamburger heart hours join link list-view location mail more next nursing-room phone print programs ramp restrooms right-arrow search share shop thumbs-down thumbs-up tickets up toilet heart-filled zoom Skip to Content

Divination Object (Kashekesheke)

African Art

Search and Share Tools

Divination Object (Kashekesheke)

Artwork Details

Artist/Maker

Luba Artist, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Date

early–mid twentieth century

Medium

Wood

Accession #

72.40.79

Dimensions

Please contact the Museum for more information.

Location

Currently Not on View

Description

During divination sessions, a diviner and client held this sculpture and inserted their fingers into its opening. As the sculpture was moved across the diviner’s woven mat, it produced the sound “shekesheke,” giving this divination tool its name, kashekesheke. Through this process problems were solved, memories reconstructed, and reasons for histories of misfortune revealed. Kashekesheke is one of the oldest of all Luba divination techniques.

Credit

Fred and Rita Richman Collection

TAGS