Anthropomorphic slit gong "n-koku"
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Lot: 282
Online AuctionAnthropomorphic slit gong "n-koku"
D. R. Congo, Suku / Yaka
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Stoffers, Kiel, Germany | H: 13.8 inch |
100 EUR
plus 27 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance |
wood, base
Among Suku and Yaka peoples, these slit gongs are emblems of the diviners and healers "nganga ngoombu". They provide the rhythm for many of their chants and signal their presence.
Small slit gongs can also serve as a mixing container for preparing and serving medicines, and laid horizontally, the instrument is also said to have been used as a diviners stool.
Bourgeois, Arthur P., Art of the Yaka and Suku, Paris 1984, p. 100
Cogdell, Jacqueline, Turn up the Volume! University of California 1999, p. 286
