Among the Luba, diviners act as mediators between the spirit world & the living, using a mixture of white kaolin clay & medicinal herbs as part of their practice. This substance is stored a figure like this one, called a mboko. They are carved in the shape of a female figure because the Luba believe that women have a special connection to the spirit world, based on their sacred power to bear children. in the case of the mboko, the figure represents the wife of a contacted spirit.Mboki are also used during the ceremonies for the induction of a new chief. They serve as proof of the chief’s authority & are displayed at his door. If lost or damaged, the chief’s mboko must be quickly replaced, for it provides protection & prosperity to the community. Dating from the first half of the last century the statue is in good condition. There is a split in the wood on the underside of the RHS leg but it does not affect the integrity of the figure. Large Female Luba Mboko | Cup Bearer Statue
