Divination Basket and Contents

Date

mid-20th century

Creator

Divination was widely practiced throughout Africa. A diviner conducted rituals using special objects to reveal the future or to identify unknown natural and supernatural forces affecting a client. The processes and objects used in divination varied from culture to culture. This extraordinary basket, complete with all of its ritual items, was used by a Chokwe diviner called a nganga. When a client consulted a nganga, the diviner conducted a ritual highlighted by shaking the basket. He or she then revealed the unknown to the client by interpreting the configuration of the objects in the basket once they came to rest.