Near the end of the 16th century, the Hemba began their migration from an area to the northeast, probably modern day Tanzania, to their current location along the Congo River. The Luba tried to incorporate the Hemba into their growing kingdom but without sucess. The Luba did succeed, however, in greatly influencing the Hemba in numerous ways, including artistic styles. In the late 19th century, the Hemba, as well as most of the other tribes in this area, were subjected to raids by Arab slave traders and were later subjugated to Belgian rule during colonization. Each of these forces influenced the Hemba artistic style as well as their philosophy. The Hemba are primarily subsistence farmers whose main staples include manioc, maize, peanuts, and yams. These crops are supplemented by small scale hunting and fishing done mostly by the men. Some Hemba augment their livelihood with small bits of copper panned from the river and sold to outside markets. Generally, the Hemba acknowledge chiefs who are heads of extended landholding families as their political leaders. Genealogy is recognized both matrilinearly and patrilinearly, but land chiefs inherit their positions through their maternal line. The Hemba are animists who worship a creator god (vidiye mukulu) and a supreme force (shimugabo). Worship is primarily carried out through sacrifices and offerings to ancestor shrines. Diviners play an important role in society, often requiring that certain ancestors be appeased in order to establish peace and harmony in the community. The artistic style of the Hemba is very similar to that of the Luba, as many of their forms are borrowed. Art often results from the elaboration of otherwise simple utilitarian objects, such as bowls, spoons, combs and wooden storage containers. Extensive wooden figures, which often represent the ancestors, predominate. The Hemba place wooden ancestor figures, called singiti, in small huts which protect the figures from the outdoor elements. A single hut may contain several figures at one time. "The figures expresses the dependence of the world of the living on that of the dead," and so each one is considered both a funerary and a religious symbol. It indicates the ownership of the land and the possession of social authority, both of which are based on the elaborate and complex organization of clans and lineages. (VOGEL, SUSAN, For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Tishman Collection, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art,1981:217) |