Sacred Drum Spirit

object · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Central Africa

The Luba ngoma is a sacred royal drum of the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo: a single-headed goblet drum carved from wood with a reptile-skin head. Played at the Luba court for the investiture or funeral of a ruler or dignitary, royal drums (milumbu) were central to the sacred kingship of the mulopwe.

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