Kingdom of Luba - Arts & Beliefs

Arts & Beliefs

Like in the Kuba Kingdom, the Luba Kingdom held the arts in high esteem. A carver held relatively high status, which was displayed by an adze (axe), he carried over his shoulder. Luba art was not very uniform because of the vast territory which the kingdom controlled. However, some characteristics are common. The important role of woman in their creation myths and political society resulted in many objects of prestige being decorated with female figures.

Headrests and staffs were of great importance in relation to beliefs about prophetic dreams and ancestor worship. Dreams were believed to communicate messages from the other world. Therefore it was common to have two priestess figures adorned on a headrest which one slept on. Luba staffs, usually owned by kings, village chiefs or court dignitaries, were also carved with dual or paired female figures. Single figures on art pieces, specifically staffs, represented deceased kings whose spirits are carried in a woman’s body.

Among Luba appears the name "Nkole" at the head of every genealogy that it is an honorific title, with literal meaning" the essentially powerful" given to the three most distant patriarchs and inserted symbolically in all genealogies.

In Baluba Tradition the "Kasala" a well defined form of Slogans, free-verse of poetry chanted or recited, sometimes instrumental accompaniment by both men and women who are professional, specialists is dramatizes public events that call for strong emotions, such as courage in battle, collective joy at official function, and bereavement at funerals. in both style and content the kasala by itself is a quite diverse genre along with proverb, myths, fables, riddles, tales and historical narratives.