Accession Number
2001/2.75

Title
Staff

Artist(s)
Luba

Artist Nationality
Luba (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1900-1940

Medium & Support
wood with metal

Dimensions
49 15/16 in x 6 13/16 in x 3 1/8 in (126.8 cm x 17.3 cm x 8 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Margaret H. and Albert J. Coudron

Subject matter
Luba staffs are like maps or historic documents that tell the story of the genealogy of a particular leader, the history of his lineage and its relations to the precolonial Luba kingdom. No two staffs are the same, because no two chiefs or locations share the exact same history. The Janus heads on a staff of office like this one represent the twin spirits of Luba kingship, Mpanga and Banze. The long, thin shaft of the staff represents the wilderness, while the two broad sections indicate specific "dibulu," or administrative royal centers, with the heads pointing to particular locales of rich natural resources (and to the earth spirits guarding such wealth). As a whole, the staff records the journey from the royal center at the top to the local leader's own village at the bottom.

Physical Description
Janus heads with elaborate headgear top a staff with a long, thin shaft and broader hourglass-shaped sections with a stylized human head in the middle of each one. The staff is covered with carved geometrical patterns of triangles, lozenges and lines, and ends in a metal-coiled tip at the bottom; it is heavy and has a shiny black patina.

Primary Object Classification
Costume and Costume Accessories

Primary Object Type
staff

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ritual Object

Collection Area
African

Rights
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Keywords
ceremonial staffs
heads (animal components)
staff