Bwami Prestige Cap (Mukuba or Nkumbu)
Unknown Artist
early to mid-1900s
Medium
Plant fibers, elephant rawhide and hair, cowrie shells, glass beads, and cord
Dimensions
52.1 × 21.6 × 39.4 cm
Classification
Garment
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Norman O. Stone and Ella A. Stone Memorial Fund
Accession Number
2005.56
About this artwork
Hats of different types, sizes, and materials figure prominently in the Lega people’s Bwami association where they indicate status and rank. Cone-shaped hats made of canvas covered with cowrie shells and surmounted by an elephant tail are worn during initiations into kindi, the highest of the five male grades. This prestige cap uses a variety of local and imported materials to show its wearer's importance. The plant fibers that support the hat and the elephant hair were sourced in Central Africa...