Bwoom mask
19th century. Wood, raffia, leather, metal & cowrie shell. D.R.C (Kuba)
Image courtesy of the Savannah African Art Museum.
The cowrie shells presented in Bwoom’s mask indicate the economic growth of the Kuba Kingdom.
In the 1600’s. crops from the Americas, such as maize, are adopted by the Kuba Kingdom. According their oral history, this is one of many innovations made by King Shyaam the Great, the first king of the Kuba. The introduction of crops is combined with crop rotation, which ensured a steady food supply for the kingdom, which further bolstered the strength and wealth of the kingdom. The Kuba kingdom traded in ivory, which was in high demand along the Kongo coast. Over time, supplies of elephant ivory began to diminish and what followed as another desirable luxury item and currency, the cowrie shell.
The added prestige garnered from cowrie shells was accessible to all classes within Kuba society as part of a monetary system and adornment. A praise song highlights the importance of cowrie shells.
“Complete do I dance,
With a Bwoom Mask,
Made out of ordinary hide,
Without cowires or beads.”
Bibliography:
Vansina, J. (1978). The children of Woot: A history of the Kuba peoples. Madison, WI: Univ. of Wisconsin P.
Visonà, M. B., Poynor, R., Cole, H. M., & Harris, M. D. (2008). A history of art in Africa. London: Prentice Hall.
By Maxime Mballa-Tagny.