Fly Whisk
date: label: Accession Date
content: 13 Jan 2010
label: Collection Date
content: May 2009
name: label: Collector
content: Judith Knight
label: Donor Name
content: Judith Knight
notes: label: Notes
content: Group of withies decorated with red dye. Bound with an aluminum band and botton cut from a Japanese spray can.
label: Notes
content: Judith Knight notes: "This region [?] is the central area for Bwiti initiation rituals practiced by the Mitsogho (Bantu) and the Babongo (Pygmy) peoples. The nomenclature of Bwiti rituals refers to both initiation rites and associated dances– in particular Bwiti Dissumba: basic general initiation rite for males in society involving the consumption of Iboga (sacred wood); and Bwiti Misoko-a more exclusive, selective initiation rite into the spiritual aspects and healing properties of plants and the forces of nature. Other male initiations / dances include 'Mwiri' and a particular Bwiti danced at the death of an initiated man. While the Mitsogho claim to have been the originators of 'Bwiti Dissumba' and 'Bwiti-Misoko', they report that they initiated the Pygmies into these practices who added their knowledge of plants, and music to the ritual. The Mitsogho and Babongo peoples are renowned spiritual knowledge holders and experts on the properties of forest products. Consequently, they attract numerous other ethnic groups to the region to be initiated into the purest form of Bwiti and who also may seek further spiritual protection. Items such as the fly whisk are used in both ceremonial (namely Bwiti Dissumba and Misoko) and everyday contexts and are predominantly associated with men. Other material elements included in Bwiti Dissumba and Misoko are plants, raffia cloth, 'mambogui' – local cloth made of raffia and pagne, red and white kaolin body paint, bells, drums, harp, musical bow, wooden hoe, machetes, knives, animal skin and horn; and specific ritual attire e.g. 'Omako' a shoulder adornment made of wood and iron that resembles a hoe in form; and is purely for ceremonial usage. Collected in May 2009, from local, Engineer Budha. Used."
label: Record Last Modified
content: 20 Nov 2017
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Sogha village, Ikobey District, Ngounié Province, Gabon, Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Babongo
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 2050990
label: USNM Number
content: E434689-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Fly Whisk
physicalDescription: label: Length
content: 48 cm
label: Width
content: 19 cm
label: Height
content: 17 cm