Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A maioria dos Tshokwe, um povo matrilinear The majority of the Tshokwe, a matrilineal Bantu
Banto estimado em mais de 600,000, habita o people estimated to number more than 600,000,
nordeste de Angola entre os rios Kwango e inhabit northeastern Angola between the
Kasai. Num momento da histria que remonta ao Kwangoo and Kasai rivers. At some point in a
sculo XV ou XVI e permanece de algum modo History, that dates back to the end of the fifteenth
obscuro (Bastin, 1978:30-41), os chefes Lunda or the sixteenth centurry and remains rather
invadiram o que hoje Angola, conquistando o obscure (Bastin 1978:30-41), Lunda chiefs
povo local, que era possivelmente de origem invaded what is now Angola, conquering the
Mbwela. Destas origens, os Tshokwe emergem local people, who may have been of Mbwela
para desenvolver a sua prpria cultura, stock. From these origins the Tshokwe emerged
crescendo, desde 1860, a um ritmo espantoso to develop their own culture. From 1860 on,
(ver Miller, 1969). No final do sculo XIX, os they grew at an astonishing rate (see Miller,
Tshokwe haviam expandido para as regies do 1969). At the end of the nineteenth century, the
Kwango (Bandundu), Kasai e Shaba, este ltimo Tshokwe had expanded into the regions of
situado no actual Zaire, onde habitam ainda em Kwango (Bandundu), Kasai, and Shaba, located
grande nmero (Boone, 1961, 1973), e nas in present-day, Zaire, where a large number still
primeiras dcadas deste sculo, avanaram pelo reside (Boone 1961, 1973), and in the first
noroeste da Zmbia (McCulloch, 1951). decade, of this century, they pushed into north-
durante os sculos XVIII e XIX, a poca dos Tshokwe culture seems to have reached its peak
grandes reinos. Nas suas cortes, um estilo during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
prestigioso de arte surgiu, que viria, entretanto, a the era of the great chiefdoms. At their courts a
desaparecer quando os reinos importantes do pas prestigious style of art unfolded, but it
original caram em declnio; os estilos de vida disappeared when the important chiefdoms of the
quase semi-nmadas dos Tshokwe dos territrios original homeland fell into decline; the almost
soberano, como as estatuetas de chefes e os outer territories did not incorporate works
ceptros. O declnio das cortes antigas no foi exalting the sovereign, such as statues of the
apenas resultado da expanso: a fome e a doena, chief and sceptres. The deterioration of the
principalmente, a varola, destruram Angola ancient courts was not only a result of expansion
central no ltimo quartel do sculo XIX, e a famine and disease, mainly smallpox, ravaged
situao agravou-se com a guerra e a nova central Angola in the last quarter of the
presena colonial. No obstante, o chefe nineteenth centuries, and the situation was
(mwanangana) ainda hoje mantm a sua aggravated by war and the new colonial
autoridade poltica, legal e, sobretudo, religiosa presence. Nevertheless, the chief (mwanangana)
sobre os seus sbditos, reinando com o apoio dos today, retains his political, legal, and, above all,
antepassados, a quem dedicam um culto. A religious authority, over his subjects, ruling with
cultura tradicional fora pouco perturbada pelas the support of the ancestors, to whom a cult is
vrias convulses do passado: apesar da devoted. Traditional culture has been little
expanso, a lngua apresenta apenas algumas disturbed by the various upheavals of the past:
variaes regionais na pronncia, e a cultura despite expansion, the language shows only a
social e as tradies religiosas so caracterizadas few, regional variations in pronunciation, and the
por uma notvel continuidade e homogeneidade. social cultural, and religious traditions are
Este artigo ir tratar de alguns aspectos das characterised by remarkable continuity and
crenas ancestrais Tshokwe, na medida em que homogeneity. This paper will deal with some
se relacionam com certas mscaras, utilizando aspects of Tshokwe ancestral beliefs as they
chefes Tshokwe, Sachombo e Sakumbu . obtained mainly from the Tshokwe chiefs,
Extrado de Marie-Louise Bastin (1984). African Arts/Arts dAfrique. XVII, 4; 40-50. 92-93, 95.
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 97
Hamba Hamba
O hamba (pl. mahamba) um esprito ancestral A hamba (pl. mahamba) is an ancestral or nature
ou da natureza a quem se dedica um culto. Os spirit to which a cult is dedicated. Mahamba are
As oraes, ofertas e sacrifcios so enviados aos prayers, offerings, and sacrifices are sent to the
simblicas, a fim de garantir a sua proteco no everyday life and to soothe them if they have
ofendidos pela negligncia de um adepto, ou por among their descendants, or the failure to
uma disputa entre os seus descendentes ou por observe some act of homage. An angry hamba
alguma falha na observao de um acto de may cause the offender to fall ill. Women may
homenagem. Um hamba irado pode causar a have gynaecological problems, and a man may
doena no transgressor: as mulheres podero vir be unlucky in hunt. A Tshokwe may also
podero no ter sorte na caa. Um Tshokwe pode spirit. When walking through the bush or near a
tambm ficar doente se for apanhado por um river, a person might chance to step on or touch
esprito malvolo. Caminhando pelo mato ou nas scrapings of medicine or clothing, abandoned
margens de um rio, possvel uma pessoa after in exorcism. The banished spirit still
tropear acidentalmente nos restos de uma remains in these materials and possesses its new
Os Tshokwe distinguem entre os antigos become attached to the former. Some of the
mahamba (makulwana) dos antepassados e os yipwiya are foreign in origin. They are at their
mahamba parasitas (yipwiya), que se juntaram most dangerous when they cause illness, and
aos primeiros. Alguns dos yipwiya so de origem they are also the most difficult to appease.
Os mahamba makulwana incluem os ajimu, que termite mounds. Displeased ajimu causes only
representam os antepassados paternos e maternos minor illness, which the cult priest, the ancestors'
da linhagem e so simbolizados por duas highest-ranking, descendant, can cure by, simply,
termiteiras. Um ajimu ofendido causa apenas crushing a leaf between the palm of his hands.
doenas menores, que o sacerdote do culto, o Mahamba makulwana bring good luck to
descendente do antepassado de posio mais hunters, insure the fertility of women, and aid
elevada, poder curar simplesmente ao esmagar diviners; they have their own cults and rituals.
uma folha entre as palmas das mo . Outros Only those mahamba that cause sickness will be
Quando um Tshokwe fica doente, os seus to their healing powers or their symbolism or
parentes tratam-no com remdios consideradas magic significance, is summoned. Should the
eficientes. Se o resultado desejado no for illness continue or worsen, a relative consults the
atingido, chama-se um curandeiro com diviner (tahi). Of the several traditional yipwiya
conhecimentos de plantas, seja relativamente aos divination instruments (ngombo), the one
seus poderes curativos ou ao seu simbolismo ou presently, in most widespread use is the ngombo
significado mgico. Se a doena continuar ou ya cisuka, a round basket containing sixty, small
piorar, um parente consulta o adivinho (tahi). symbolic objects. The barn shakes the basket,
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 98
Dos vrios instrumentos tradicionais Tshokwe de and the subsequent pattern reveals the cause of
adivinhao (ngombo), o que hoje tem maior the illness, usually, a hamba spirit that the tahi
Na altura de uma representao de mscaras akishi (sing. mukishi) no cercado da aldeia em anexo ao
Museu do Dundo,
pode-se ver no
centro Cikunza
avanando condigna e
calmamente: o chefe
da iniciao mukanda
presena totalmente
de dana akishi a
kuhangana que o
rodeiam, o tal (
esquerda) Mungenda
caracterizado por um
pnis simblico
abstractamente
sugerido; ( direita)
Ngulu.
At the time of a
representation of akishi
in the enclosure of a
mukanda adolescent
presence is completely
independent of the
other akishi a
kuhangana dance
by a symbolic penis abstractly suggested; (to the right) the Ngulu pig is kneeling.
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 99
O tratamento conduzido por um cimbanda, um entire village and some of the victim's relative,
homem ou uma mulher que j tenha sido who have come especially for the ceremony.
exorcizado do mesmo esprito e que Aided by the sound of tambourines and the
consequentemente se tornou membro do seu clapping crowd, the cimbanda induces a fit of
culto. O ritual tem lugar perante a aldeia inteira e possession in the sick person (mwenji), who lies
alguns dos parentes da vtima, que esto on a mat. In the atmosphere of collective frenzy,
presentes especialmente para assistir cerimnia. the patient becomes feverish. He begins to
Auxiliado pelo som de tambores e a multido a tremble and have violent convulsions, speak in
bater palmas, o cimbanda provoca um ataque de loudly, and sometimes, if the spirit is foreign,
possesso na pessoa doente (mwenji), que se incoherently. The cimbanda rubs him with
encontra deitada num tapete. Numa atmosfera de medicine made from plants and clay, particularly
frenesim colectivo, o paciente fica febril, the purifying white clay (pemba), which
Apenas ao abandonar o corpo do doente que o leaves through the patient's mouth. In naming the
esprito ser apaziguado. O exorcismo spirit, the mwenji confirms the tahis diagnosis,
conseguido quando o mwenji, sentindo o hamba and an appropriate cure can now be chosen.
subir progressivamente dos seus ps cabea, Frequently a statuette (or one of a variety of
grita o seu nome num espasmo final libertador; objects), also referred to as hamba, becomes the
acredita-se que o hamba abandona o corpo pela a exorcised spirit's resting place. After a
mwenji confirma o diagnstico do tahi, e uma that has come into contact with the sick person is
cura apropriada pode ento ser escolhida. thrown into the bush or the river, the cimbanda
Frequentemente uma estatueta (ou um de uma initiates the patient into the cult. A domestic hen
variedade de objectos), tambm referida como or bush antelope (depending oh the type of
hamba, torna-se o local de descanso do esprito hamba) is sacrificed in the village, a little of its
exorcizado. Aps a cerimnia de purificao, blood is rubbed onto the figurine or symbol, and
durante a qual tudo que tenha estado em contacto the animal is then cooked and eaten by the
com a pessoa doente atirada para o mato ou mwenji and his spouse in the presence of he
para o rio, o cimbanda procede iniciao do cimbanda. After this meal of communion, the
paciente no culto. Uma galinha domstica ou um statuette is placed under the new initiate's bed or
antlope do mato (consoante o tipo de hamba) in his small personal sanctuary (katunda). Once
sacrificado na aldeia, esfrega-se um pouco do seu restored to health, he must perform a monthly
sangue na estatueta ou smbolo e, de seguida, o ritual on the appearance of the first quarter of the
mwenji e a sua esposa cozinham e comem o moon or risk failing ill again: outside his house,
animal na presena do cimbanda. Aps esta he coats his body with the proper medicines and
refeio em comunho, a estatueta coloca-se sob white clay, prays to the spirit, and honours it
a cama do recm-iniciado ou no seu pequeno with a sacrifice. These curative rituals vary
santurio (katunda). Uma vez saudvel, ele ter according to the afflicting spirit. The objects
de realizar um ritual mensal aquando do used to represent, shelter, and honour the spirit
aparecimento da lua nova, seno arrisca-se a also vary, ranging from trees and termite mounds
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 100
Mukishi including gloves and foot coverings. Above the
de fibras entrelaadas e inclui luvas e calado. The mukishi is generally believed to be a person
Acima do rosto da mscara encontra-se um returned from the dead who rises from the earth
chapu de verga slido mas por vezes in an area of the bush. Until recently, women
do fato representam de vrias formas o esprito approach it or sometimes even to see it. During
mukishi a ser evocado, mas sempre de forma the bush school (mukanda), the newly
por vezes, de o ver. Durante a escola do mato There are certain hereditary or acquired
aprendem que o ser que temiam de facto um asked an informant to put on a mask belonging
homem iniciado envergando a mscara. Apesar to the Museu do Dundo so that I could
desta revelao, porm, os Tshokwe preservam a photograph him; he refused, fearing the
crena de que aquele que veste a mscara perde supernatural consequences, but summoned a
as suas qualidades humanas e transforma-se na friend authorised to wear the mask, who spit on it
anos em Angola e na Costa do Marfim, efectuou The Tshokwe distinguish three categories of
um breve estudo sobre a importncia da saliva e masks. The first type is the sacred sacrificial
do cuspir em rituais africanos. Refere que o acto Cikungu or mukishi wa mwanangana mask,
de cuspir simultaneamente uma beno, uma representing the chiefs ancestors. Made of
purificao, uma oferta e uma maneira de resin, it is carefully preserved in a small hut built
apresentar uma solicitao. Um Tshokwe cospe in the bush on the outskirts of the village.
para dentro da mscara antes de a colocar na Cikungu is brought out only on the rare
cabea a fim de obter a proteco do esprito e de occasions, when a sacrifice is required for the
eliminar qualquer perigo de possesso malvola. well-being of the community. No one, male or
sacrificial sagrada Cikungu ou mukishi wa The second type is the mukishi a ku mukanda,
chefe. Feita de resina, cuidadosamente These masks, most of them of resin, are
preservada numa pequena cabana construda no numerous and have a variety of head-dresses
mato na periferia da aldeia. A Cikungu retirada (Bastin 1961 a: pls. 233-41). They control the
da cabana apenas em ocasies raras, quando mukanda, keep women away from the ceremony,
necessrio fazer um sacrifcio para o bem-estar and, when necessary, fetch food prepared by the
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 101
da comunidade. No permitido a ningum, initiates mothers from the village, the women
masculino ou feminino, v-la, excepto uns taking refuge in their homes when the masks
poucos dignitrios ancies. approach. At the end of the rite of passage, the
(Bastin, 1961a: pp. 233-41). Elas controlam a dance mask, made of resin or wood. They are
pelas mes dos iniciados da aldeia, e as mulheres Several types have lost their ritual meaning, but
refugiam-se nas suas casas quando as mscaras Cihongo and Pwo, the two main types, and the
se aproximam. No final do rito de passagem, as oldest and most noble, have retained their
campo do mato. No passado, os iniciados in the past, were used mainly for entertainment,
permaneciam no campo durante meses e, por although they were still regarded as akishi, and
religioso. As outras, mesmo no passado, foram The Tshokwe have on occasion used a mask
embora fossem ainda consideradas akishi, e must be worn and exhibited regularly, and, when
tocar-lhes com impunidade. As mscaras deste Cikunza the most important mask used in the
terceiro tipo e os seus fatos so guardados pelos mukanda, has been known to possess this dual
seus donos, os nicos autorizados a vesti-los ou a mystical quality of mukishi and protective spirit
danar com eles. Pode-se herdar uma mscara ou hamba (Baumann 1935; Bastin 1961a; Lima
encomendar uma a um escultor, desde que tenha 1967, 1971). Through my informants,
mostrado talento como danarino durante a Sachombo and Sakumbu, I have learned that the
mukanda, quando todos os tipos de danas so Cikungu, Cihongo, and Pwo masks also had this
ensinadas. Todos estes mascarados so propcios characteristic. These four masks will be the
regularmente, e, quando necessrio, ser utilizada The mukishi wa Cikunza, the patron of the
mscara mais importante utilizada durante a featuring a high conical ringed head-dress Bastin
mukanda, parece possuir essa dupla qualidade 1982:11). In Tshokwe, Cikunza refers to a kind
mstica de mukishi e de esprito protector hamba of grasshopper, known for its procreative
(Baumann, 1935; Bastin, 1961a; Lima, 1967, powers; this mukishi, in evoking this insect,
1971). Atravs dos meus colaboradores, symbolised fertility. The pointed head-dress,
Sachombo e Sakumbu, aprendi que as mscaras made of wicker covered with a material made of
Cikungu, Cihongo e Pwo tambm possuem esta crushed bark and decorates with gradated rings,
caracterstica. Estas quatro mscaras sero o represents the horn of a large roan antelope
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Mukishi-Hamba Cikunza approaching the village the masquerader lets out
invocar este insecto, simboliza a fertilidade. O The hamba wa Cikunza aids hunters and infertile
um material feito de casca de rvore batida e damon (1935:110), indicates that its cult is
decorado com anis graduados, representa o widespread outside the mukanda bush camp and
chifre do antlope Ruo de grande porte that it will occasionally possess a person.
virilidade. A mscara Cikunza busca os que vo this spirits influence. Small amulets
ser circuncidados e leva-os para o mato. Ao representing him with his tall head-dress in the
aproximar-se da aldeia, o mascarado emite um shape of a ringed horn are carried by hunters
longo grito estridente para afugentar as mulheres. on their rifle butts and by infertile or pregnant
O hamba wa Cikunza assiste os caadores e as also has a place in the ancestral shrines of both
mulheres infrteis. Baumann, chamando-lhe the community and the family along with all the
dmon (1935: 110), indica que o seu culto tem other protective spirits. It takes the form of a
um largo alcance fora do campo de mato e que miniature table at the centre of which is a small
possura ocasionalmente uma pessoa. Porm, post roughly carved in the form of a Cikunza.
Semelhante em aparncia a Cikunza existe uma these spirits, family ancestors. The mwanangana
pequena figura utilizada na cesta de adivinhao makes regular sacrifices to these spirits, killing a
(ngombo ya cisuka, o microcosmos da vida goat (pembe) or a rooster (ndemba kasumbi) with
Tshokwe). Chamada Samukishi, simboliza todas the mukwale sword, symbol of power, and
as mscaras. A Samukishi tambm tem o seu attaching the sacrifice to a pole of the large cota
lugar nos santurios ancestrais tanto da hut, the village forum and tribunal in the centre
A mukishi wa Cikungu, a maior das mscaras (Sphenorhynchus abdimi), and the sawtooth
Tshokwe, pertence ao mwanangana e representa pattern that usually decorates the head-dress is
os espritos malemba, os antepassados familiares. called yenge lya khumbi, which means viper of
O mwanangana realiza sacrifcios regulares em the stork, a poetic and esoteric illusion to
honra destes espritos, matando uma cabra Tshokwe animal fables. The band of decorative
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(pembe) ou um galo (ndemba kasumbi) com a triangles seen on numerous Tshokwe objects is
espada mukwale, um smbolo de poder, e called yenge, representing the Gaboon viper
dependurando o sacrifcio na grande cabana cota, (Bitis gabonica), or mapembe, representing the
o frum e a tribuna da comunidade no centro da triangular designs on the vipers back. The
abdimi), e o tipo de dentes de serra que I was told that the Cikumbu masquerader was
normalmente enfeita o chapu chama-se yenge always a mwanangana and wore the chiefs floor-
lya khumbi, que significa a vbora da cegonha, length skirt of black flannel bordered at the
uma aluso potica e esotrica a fbulas de bottom with red stripped cloth. The masquerader
animais dos Tshokwe. A faixa de tringulos carried the mukwale sword or a rifle. Walking
decorativos vistos em numerosos objectos slowly and solemnly, like a chief, he announced
Tshokwe chama-se yenge, representando a his approach by blowing into a kind of small
vbora Gaboon+ (Bitis gabonica), ou mapembe, kazoo (lundanji) attached to the inside of the
representando os desenhos triangulares no dorso masks mouth, which produced long, low sound
da vbora. Os nomes de outros tipos do chapu resembling howling wind. It could only be
de Cikungu so conhecidos por todos os viewed safely by other great chiefs or persons of
membros da comunidade, que os consideram importance. Upon his arrival in the village, men
como uma espcie de ideograma. No caso das an women fled to their hut. In the case of an
mscaras rituais, os discos laterais representam o accidental meeting, a person risked being
sol, o crescente por cima da testa representa a beheaded by the sacrificial mask.
Foi-me dito que o mascarado Cikungu era the characteristic winged ceremonial head-dress
comprida at ao cho do chefe, feita de flanela depicting the chief, particularly on sceptres. All
preta bordada no fundo com pano vermelho s of these extraordinary Tshokwe creations exalt
riscas. O mascarado levava a espada mukwale ou the sacred power of the mwangangana and his
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caracterstico chapu cerimonial alado (Bastin, village holding the sword and the cisukulo
1982: 20), bem como por bustos esculpidos medicine, a lefty branch of cisangu (a small
retratando o chefe, especialmente nos ceptros. savannah plant), cikuku (idem), or mutundu ( a
Se o esprito Cikungu fosse abandonado, ou se chief (Bastin 1982), the masquerader headed for
algum se esquecesse de o homenagear, o the cota hut, where he was awaited by the elderly
adivinho poderia atribuir a doena de um men in the village. Cikungo killed a goat by
membro da famlia do chefe sua ira. striking it in the neck, sucked its blood, and gave
Normalmente, essa pessoa poderia ser o seu the leafy branch to the eldest man near him.
sobrinho, irmo, filho ou mulher principal. Then he returned to the mutenji hut. The leaves
Durante a sesso de adivinhao, demonstrava-se of the cisukulo were given to the wife of the sick
que o Cikungu tinha causado a doena se a figura person or the wife of the chief himself, who
Samukishi aparecesse entre as marcas no rebordo pounded them and mixed them with the white
da cesta conjuntamente com um pedao de pano ritual clay (pemba), a symbol of innocence and
vermelho (cihela) entre as marcas acumuladas health. This medicine was rubbed over the
de barro branco (pemba) e vermelho (mukundu). patients body. This done the chiefs brother or
cisukulo, um ramo com muitas folhas de cisangu The following morning a hunt was organised to
(uma pequena planta da savana), cikuku (idem), kill an antelope a kaseshi, a kai, or a khongo
ou mutundu (uma planta com um fruto vermelho which was brought to the mutenji. A small
cerimonial branco (pemba), um smbolo de The Cihongo dance mask is very well known. It
inocncia e de sade. Esfrega-se o remdio no represents the spirit of wealth and was worn only
corpo do doente. Isto feito, o irmo ou sobrinho by the chief, his son, or his nephew. In the past
do chefe cozinha a cabea da cabra na mutenji, they would go on tours with the mask that
para ser comida pelo chefe e os seus parentes sometimes lasted several months, dancing in the
com papas de mandioca (cindu). Depois da villages and receiving gifts in exchange for the
comunidade ter comido o resto do animal, todos magic power provided. These gifts were also a
sangue do antlope na cabea da mscara em This dance mask, made of resin or wood, had a
forma de oferta. Depois, os membros masculinos fan-shaped head-dress made of light wicker and
da famlia do chefe, por vezes acompanhados traditionally decorated with feathers (ngona)
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 105
30. Em primeiro plano, distinguem-se melhor determinados pormenores da mscara Mungenda, que,
juntamente com Cihongo, que se v em repouso, uma das mscaras masculinas favoritas, escolhidas
30. In close-up, it is possible to make out more clearly certain details of the Mungenda mask, which,
along with the Cihongo (which can be seen resting) is one of the favourite masks, chosen by the
pelos homens mais velhos da aldeia, cozinham e from cisekele, kites or sparrow hawks
comem o animal. Estas honras prestadas a (Milousmigrans parasitus); ngungu, a large bird
Cikungu demonstram a importncia deste with black feathers and a red beak (Bucorvus
mukishi na hierarquia das mscaras e a sua caffer); kanga, a guinea hen of the bush (Numida
funo como esprito protector, ou hamba, ligado meleagris marungensis); or kolomvi, a forest bird
exclusivamente famlia do chefe. (Bastin 1982:9). More recently, the fan on the
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Mukishi-Hamba Cihongo-Cimyanji oval hoop frame, extending out at the hips, to
tambm uma forma de tributo ao poder de My informants indicated that Cihongo was
Cihongo. Lima refere que em tempos antigos, o formally called Cimyanji. Lima mentions having
mascarado Cihongo fora um instrumento de heard it on occasion (1967:160), but the author
justia, acusando os espectadores de crimes que did not explain its religious connotation. Indeed,
eram em muitos casos punveis por morte (1967: Cimyanji is a hamba as well as a mukishi,
de riqueza. Uma saia de palha (cikapa) tambm There the namata, his principal wife, sacrificed a
caracterstica da mscara Cihongo. Consiste hen over the head of the mask, thus indicating
numa armao oval, estendendo-se desde as that the wearer was the chief himself. The
ancas, a que se prendem vrias camadas de mwanangana then began to dance. He handed
franjas de palha (makindu). A pesada cikapa over the cisukulo to the wife of the afflicted
vibra e oscila para a frente e para trs quando o person, ordinarily a member of his family, who
danarino movimenta as ancas. Esta mscara would latter mix the pounded leaves with pemba
muitas vezes reproduziu em objectos to be rubbed over the body of her husband.
decorativos, particularmente em cadeiras, onde Throughout the day, Cimyanji danced without
pode ser facilmente identificada pelo chapu em stopping, receiving gifts in exchange. At the end
forma de leque (sem asas laterais) e pela saia de of the afternoon, he went back to the bush to
Cihongo era anteriormente chamado Cimyanji. This description of the exorcism ceremony as it
Lima refere ter ouvido este termo was performed in the distant past contrasts with
ocasionalmente (1967: 160, n. 3), mas o autor my observance of the veneration of Cihongo by
no explicou a sua conotao religiosa. Pois, o Samuzanga in the Dundo region. When his
Cimyanji um hamba, bem como um mukishi, maternal uncle Sachombo, a Cihongo dancer,
causando infertilidade nas mulheres, doena nos died, Samuzanga inherited his mask. He danced
homens ou caa sem xito quando irado. A with it once in the region of Kakolo, beyond
mscara Cihongo-Cimyanji guardava-se na Saurimo (more than 240 Km away), and left it
cabana mutenji. Se o chefe decidisse que um there. One day, back in his village, he fell ill.
sacrifcio propiciatrio era necessrio em The tahi told him, after the Samukishi figurine
benefcio da aldeia, anunciava que Cimyanji iria appeared on the rim of the divination basket, that
danar no dia seguinte e que ningum podia his condition was caused by his abandoning the
ausentar-se da aldeia. Cedo na manh seguinte, mask. To be cured he has to have a new one
chegava aldeia, vestindo a mscara e segurando carved, honour it, and dance with it. Samuzanga
um cisukulo com muitas folhas, e dirigia-se ordered a mask from the sculptor Mwachonji,
praa central onde todos se reuniam perto da wove himself a costume of fibres, and also made
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 107
cota. the cikapa. When all was finished, he killed a
sobre a mscara, entregou a ave esposa para a The male masquerader, incarnating the female
cozinhar, e danou na praa da aldeia perto da ancestor, grants fertility to the spectators during
cota. No seu regresso, colocou a mscara na his performance. He has fake breasts and wears
cabana katunda que construra no mato por trs a loincloth draped around his hips; and a heavy
da sua casa, e onde tambm guardava os seus beaded belt in the shape of a crescent, which
mahamba pessoais. Para finalizar o rito, bobs up and down as he moves his back. In the
Samuzanga e a sua esposa comeram a galinha. O past these gestures were restrained and elegant in
culto mantm-se em cada lua nova com oraes e order to teach women graceful ways. When
uma oferta de um pouco de mandioca, que commissioning a mask, the dancer gave the
substituiu o raro barro branco, e o sangue de um sculptor a brass ring, the symbolic price of a
animal do mato, embora o mwata admita que fiance. Treated it as if it were a person, the
muito difcil obter o ltimo hoje em dia. mask was often buried after the death of the
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Costumava representar uma mulher madura que piece varies subtly. The technical mastery of the
tivesse provado a sua fertilidade ao ter uma sculptor, combined with the inspiration provided
criana. Mais recentemente, devido alterao by his subject, explains the wide variety of
nos valores africanos - possivelmente sob sculptural expression always found in Tshokwe
antepassado feminino, garante fertilidade aos representation of the male Cihongo mask,
espectadores durante a sua actuao. Traz peitos reference is also being made to Pwo.
Um escultor profissional (songi) era ento The Pwo mask was usually kept by the dancer in
encarregado de produzir uma nova mscara, um a mutenji hut outside the village or hidden in a
esse fim, aproveitava todas as oportunidades para Masks among the neighbours of the Tshokwe
back forward.
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Tshokwe, cada pea varia de uma forma subtil. A Saurimo region and was at the museum in 1956,
mestria tcnica do escultor, combinada com a helped me with its identification and description.
inspirao provocada pelo modelo, explicam a It is a mask of a great Lwena chief sculpted in
encontrada sempre na arte Tshokwe. features are intended to suggest power and
As mscaras entre os vizinhos dos Tshokwe According to Turner (1968:32), the Ndembu,
vermelha de algodo a cobrir os olhos, e grandes Ndembu masks are rare. Turner indicated that
faces esfricas e salientes (matafu ja Katatola). they, are believed to be afu, dead people, and
O chapu, na forma de um leque oblongo, that they are helped by spirits of the famous,
ostenta, em relevo, imagens de vrias mahamba such as chiefs, great hunters, rich men, fathers of
(sing. lihamba), que trazem fertilidade e sorte na many, children, or people with important
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em cada mo, aparece na praa da aldeia, onde Currently, the Ndembu make use of Lweena
uma cabra imolada por um assistente (Luvale) masked dancers because, as they
cilombola. Ento, a Katotola baixa-se para explained to Turner, their men are now working
molhar a boca no sangue sacrificial vertido. Com in the copper belt or in local firms, which leaves
este acto, faz-se a oferta aos antepassados, que them no time to carve their traditional masks.
so incarnados pela prpria mscara. Os The masks borrowed from the Lwena Cizaluki,
mahamba esculpidos na cabeleira sugerem que, The Mad One, and Mwana Pwovo, The
para alm da sua funo religiosa, pode ainda ter Young Woman. Several photos of Cizaluki
um efeito teraputico sobre os membros infelizes were published by Turner (1967: frontispiece).
ancestral que aflige um parente porque foi The Mbwela, who live in the Kwitu-Kwanavale
esquecido (1962: 1; 1967: 9-10) - o que os region in south-eastern Angola, have a mask that
Tshokwe chamam hamba. Assim, estes povos is morphologically, similar to Cizaluke, known
para o mesmo conceito. (sing. likisi) are of diverse origins and are
Hoje, os Ndembu recorrem aos danarinos However, it can be said that this information
mascarados Lwena (Luvale) porque, como from the Mbwela establishes that the cult of
chefe. O danarino apresenta-se com um The Pende, of Angolan origin, have lived in the
enxota-moscas. O nome Lwena para a mscara Kwang and Kasai regions since, the eighteenth
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Cizaluke, igual ao termo usado pelos Tshokwe century, after their former homeland was
do sul (Bastin, 1961. pls. 246, 247). Nos dois conquered by the Imbangala, of Lunda stock.
povos, o mascarado usa um pnis artificial erecto Lon de Sousberghe has noted the chief's mask
adoptaram a mscara Cizunza dos Tshokwe. Muditji-Malamba mentions that among the
Acreditavam que esta likisi representava o Chefe eastern Pende (Kwango) the Giphogo masks
Kanyika, um dos fundadores dos Tshokwe no comes to men like the salutary sun (1979:193).
incio do sculo XVII, embora os Tshokwe Shaped like a half a bell, its facial features are
nunca tenham feito referncia alguma a esta sculptured in the purest Katundu Pende style:
associao. Porm, pode-se dizer que esta eyes with lowered triangular eyelids, topped by
informao dos Mbwela estabelece que o culto thick eyebrows flowing together in a V-shape,
do mukishi-hamba-Cikunza seja muito antigo. slightly turned-up nose that reveals the nostrils,
macaco presa a uma cavilha. A Giphogo faz In his fine study, Bourgeois (1981 a ) indicated
parte do kifumu, ou tesouro que constitui os that Kakungu is a nkisi (pl. mikisi), the equivalent
atributos do poder. Exerce influncia sobre a of the Muditji Malamba hamba. Although its
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sade e a fertilidade do reino e cura doenas. usage ceased in the 1950s, he was able to collect
aldeia de Ngimbu, perto de Njinji, danando new Kakungu was made, a goat was immolated
volta de uma pessoa doente em conjunto com to protect the lineage that had commissioned it.
outra mscara (1960). O paciente, acompanhado On the same occasion, a cock or hen was killed
pelo seu filho, encontra-se estendido num and presented to the future guardian of the new
cobertor no cho. A funo teraputica da mask. The mask, a symbol of enormous power,
mscara Giphogo (Kiphoko) foi confirmada por was brought out only in times of crisis. Worn by
Malutshi Mudiji-Selenge (1981: 229-30). the head of initiation or the charm specialist
mscara feminina
trabalhada, em forma
imperceptivelmente
que Ngulu,
normalmente de gatas,
mscara feminina.
a beaded fringe, in
mask.
arrebitado que revela as narinas, e a boca meio The hemba mask of the Suku is a wooden helmet
aberta, em muitos casos, com os cantos virados with white enhanced facial features carved
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a franja de rfia caracterizam em particular esta The pupils are lowered toward the crescent-
mscara (Sousberghe, 1960: frontispcio). A slipped slit that allows the wearer to see out, the
Giwoyo usa-se na horizontal, de rosto virado para nose is often pointed, and the open mouth
o cu. No caso de uma pessoa afligida por um usually contains sculpted teeth. Suku works
esprito malvolo, escreve Mudiji-Malamba, o often hire a stylised zigzag- hairline, indented
mascarado toca-lhe, prende uma madeixa de above the forehead and temples. The helmet is
rfia do seu fato ao corpo do paciente, e esfrega- almost always topped with a sculpted human or
Arthur P. Bourgeois tambm registou o papel According to Bourgeois (1981b), this mask type
teraputico de certas mscaras entre os Suku do is worn by the most qualified initiates during the
Kwango (1981a, b). A mscara Kakungu e a closing ceremonies of the nkanda initiation and
ritos de circunciso (nkanda). A Kakungu the deceased. Hemba corresponds to the Sukus
consiste numa mscara gigante, que se segura em collective image of their ancestors, the power of
frente do rosto com um punho esculpido sob o which is embodied by a Manichean vision:
queixo. Normalmente, tem os olhos grandes "powerful charm with both dangerous and
rachados no meio, o nariz longo e estreito com benevolent properties." The latter includes
narinas pequenas, as faces grandes e salientes, e gynaecological problems and providing luck to
No seu excelente estudo, Bourgeois (1981a) west Angola, but their culture is completely
indica que a Kagungu um nkisi (pl. mikisi), o different. They possess a Ngongo munene mask
equivalente do hamba Tshokwe. Embora o seu of hammered brass (Bastin 1961b: figs. 4-6),
uso tenha terminado nos anos 50, foi-lhe possvel worn by the chief during his investiture. It is
recolher informaes preciosas sobre o assunto. also brought out for secret funeral ceremonies.
Quando se fazia uma nova Kakungu, imolava-se The structure of this mask is very simple. The
uma cabra para proteger a linhagem que a tinha example I saw was imposing in the nobility of its
emcomendado. Na mesma ocasio, matava-se austere facial features, portrayed in slight relief
representao do Branco:
divertir os espectadores e
sobretudo as mulheres da
assistncia.
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um galo ou uma galinha, que se apresentava ao on the laterally curved metal leaf. Ngongo
futuro guardio da nova mscara. A mscara, um munene, like the Tshokwe Cikungu, represents
smbolo de enorme poder, s saa em tempos de the chief's ancestors who watch over their
crise. Usada pelo chefe da iniciao ou o descendants. The mask is donned in a ritual
tradicionalmente durante o rito de circunciso disaster striking the community. When not in
nkanda, assegurando a recuperao rpida e o use it is carefully housed in a small straw shelter,
bem-estar dos jovens iniciados. Enquanto que placed in the fork of a large tree, and watched by
Kakungu desempenhava um papel ambivalente, a guard who keeps away women and children
A mscara Hemba dos Suku consiste num elmo The Tshokwe mukishi is a spirit incarnated by a
em madeira de feies faciais esculpidas com mask. Its role is benevolent, often involving a
ligeiro relevo realadas a branco. As pupilas kind of social control. Later it was learned that if
encontram-se semicerradas sobre a fenda em the mukishi was not regularly honoured by the
forma de crescente que permite que o mascarado donning of its mask, like the hamba it would
veja, o nariz em muitos casos pontiagudo, a cause illness that was curable only by a ritual of
boca aberta normalmente ostentando dentes atonement. Cikunza, for example, has long been
esculpidos. Muitas vezes, as peas Suku tm a known to possess this mystical power of being
estilizado, com recortes acima da testa e das because it is represented in carved amulets or
tmporas. O elmo quase sempre coroado por symbols visible in mahamba sanctuaries.
uma figura humana ou animal esculpida Neighbouring peoples also have such masks.
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 115
mscara veste-se numa cerimnia ritual para
Notas
NOTES
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tambm mora na aldeia, o mestre principal da people of Lunda origin who inhabit Zambia and are
iniciao adulta mungonge. O ritual mungonge, culturally related to the Tshokwe. Victor Turner
um teste voluntrio de resistncia fsica e moral, (1967:130) points out that in order to reinforce the
coloca os adultos masculinos que o fazem em curative power of the remedy or to attract the
contacto com os antepassados e o alm. O attention of the ancestral spirit to be appeased, the
equivalente existe para as mulheres com o nome doctor crashes a tree leaf, which is placed on the
de ciwila. Estas duas instituies j no so back of his clenched fist, by violently slapping it
seguidas em Angola h mais de 40 anos. with his open right hand; the resulting noise
Ndembu, um povo de origem Lunda que habita 3. The doctoral dissertation of Paul Stanley Yoder
Tshokwe. Victor Turner (1967: 350) refere que, California, Los Angeles) is devoted to the
para reforar o poder curativo do remdio ou para ethnomedical aspects os the Tschokwe. Within the
atrair a ateno do esprito ancestral a ser three categories distinguished as illnesses, he cites
rvore, que se coloca sobre as costas do seu 4. Yoder (1981:162), who stayed among the
punho esquerdo, e violentamente esmagada com Tshokwe of Zaire, prefers to use the expression
a sua mo direita de palmo aberto; o barulho cleansing rituals rather than exorcism or
resultante ressoa como um tiro de espingarda. conjuration to describe this ritual process,
3. A tese de doutoramento de Paul Stanley Yoder because the Tshokwe believes the spirit leaves a
(apresentada a 20 de Novembro de 1981, mark (cikupu) on the victims body, which the
dedicada aos aspectos etno-mdicos dos his dictionary Father Barbosa comments that ku-
Tshokwe. De entre as trs categorias distinguidas kosa mwenji means to rub the patient with
como doenas, ele cita yikola ya mahamba scrapings from kalimbwoli or mukhekhete branches
(Yoder, 1981a: 148-54). to drive out the spell that prevents the remedy from
4. P. Stanley Yoder (1981a: 162), que permaneceu taking effect. I myself have never heard ku-kosa
algum tempo entre os Tshokwe do Zaire, prefere used in the context of curing illnesses caused by
vez de exorcismo ou conjura para descrever verbs to describe the curative rituals as well as the
este processo ritual, porque os Tshokwe functions of statuettes and other symbols kept in the
acreditam que o esprito deixa uma marca Museu do Dundo. The suffering person is always
(cikupu) no corpo da vtima, que o curandeiro ter referred to as mwenji, the sick one, who has been
dicionrio, o Padre Barbosa diz que ku-kosa being. The cure involves expulsion of the spirit
mweji significa esfregar o paciente com from his body. The hamba spirit shows itself (ku-
raspaduras de ramos de kalimbwoli ou tuhuka) while the patient is in a trance, in his cries
mukhekhete para expulsar a feitiaria que impede and movements. The ritual causes the patient to
o remdio de ter efeito. Eu prpria nunca ouvi leave his body (ku-tuhwisa), after which he will be
que ku-kosa podia ser utilizado no contexto do returned to good health (ku-hinduka). This
tratamento de doenas causadas por mahamba. terminology used by the Tshokwe of the northern
Os meus colaboradores Tshokwe utilizam outros Lunda district, is fully confirmed in the dictionary
verbos para descrever os rituais curativos, bem compiled by Father Barbosa (1973) who for twelve
como as funes das estatuetas e outros smbolos years studied the language of the southern
guardados no Museu do Dundo. A pessoa que Tshokwe, which is more ancient and pure in origin.
sofre chama-se sempre mwenji, o doente, que The verbs he compiles are directly linked to the
foi possuda (infinitivo, ku-kwacika) por um ser curative rituals of mahamba. A hamba, according
apresenta-se (ku-tultuka) enquanto o doente est inhabits the body of a relative or other person; it is
em transe, manifestando-se nos seus gritos e also a protective object representing this spirit and
movimentos. A cura provoca a sada do esprito in which the spirit resides. The evidence, therefore,
do seu corpo (ku-tuhwisa), depois do qual ele seems to justify the use of the terms possession
terminologia, utilizada pelos Tshokwe do distrito 5. The mask is worn by men, although in this
nortenho da Lunda, est inteiramente confirmada region Angola women played the role of mukishi
no dicionrio compilado pelo Padre Barbosa during female puberty rites, masked by body
(1973), que, durante doze anos, estudou a lngua paint or a piece of cloth over their faces so they
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 117
dos Tshokwe do sul, que mais antiga e pura em could take turns frightening off the men and
origem. Os verbos que compilou esto keeping them away from such rituals (Bastin 1978;
curativos dos mahamba. Segundo Barbosa, um 6. Cihela is a European cloth, imported since the
hamba um duplo, uma sombra, mas eighteenth century and used solely by chiefs, and in
antepassado que habita o corpo de um parente ou 7. In his dictionary Barbosa (1973:485) mentions
de outra pessoa; ainda um objecto protector that the cisukule is prepared with the leaves of
reside. Por isso, as provas parecem justificar o Muell), musole (Bombax reflexum Sprague) and
uso dos termos possesso e ritos de mwanga or munununu (Paropsia sp.). In his
5. A mscara vestida por homens, embora nesta names of medicinal plants: cisangu is cisangu ca
pudessem, por vezes, afugentar os homens e 8. These small antelopes are the usual animals of
mant-los longe destes rituais (Bastin, 1978; sacrifice. Dr. A. de Barros Machado has identified
6. O Cihela um pano europeu, importado desde o coeruleus; kai, Sylvicapra grimmia; khongo,
chefes e na decorao das mscaras. 9. When one sacrifices a rooster over a mask it is to
7. No seu dicionrio, Barbosa (1973: 486) refere calm down the mukishi spirit so that it does not
kavulamune ou mufulafula (Maprounea africana 10. Neither Baumann (1935), who travelled
Muell), musole (Bombax reflexum Sprague) e extensively in southern Luanda district in 1930, nor
mwanga ou munununu (Paropsia sp.). No seu Jos Redinha (1949, 1956) and Mesquitela Lima
Appendice C, Yoder apresenta os nomes (1967, 1971), both of whom spent long years in the
cientficos das plantas medicinais: cisangu area, ever mentioned this fact in their writings. The
(Yoder, 1981a: 323) cisangu ca mukanda, same holds truth for Oliveira (1959), who wrote an
Fodoggia Scinchw (Rubiaceae) ou cisangu extensive work on the mahamba, and Santos
citoma, Dissotis ruandensis (melastomataceae); (1962), who wrote another one on Tshokwe
mutundu (Yoder, 1981a: 327) Aframomum religion. I was not able to obtain full information
8. Estes pequenos antlopes so normalmente 1956, for the mukishi-hamba function of these three
animais sacrificiais. O Dr. A. de Barros Machado masks has completely disappeared among the
entre os Tshokwe.
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 118
Monte, Calif.: Rahn Brothers Printing and
Bibliografia / Bibliography
Lithography.
Bastin, M.-L. 1961a. Art dcoratif Tshokwe, 2 Lima, Mesquitela. 1971. Fonctions sociologiques
vols. Publicaes culturais 55. Lisboa: des figurines de culte hamba dans la socit et
martel des Kongo du nord-est de lAngola, Kubik, G. 1981. Mukanda na makisi. Angola.
Museum fr Vlkerkunde.
Bastin, M.-L. 1978. Statuettes Tshokwe du hros
France: Collection Arts dAfrique Noire. Muse de lAfrique Centrale. Cultura. LArt en
Belgique 3. Bruxelas.
Bastin, M.-L. 1981. Quelques oeuvres
Tshokwe: une perspective historique, Antologia McCulloch, M. 1951. The Southern Lunda and
Boone, O. 1961. Carte ethnique du Congo: quart and Kings ed. S. Vogel. New York: The
du Zare: quart sud-ouest. Annales, Srie in-8, Wisconsin, African Studies Program.
sculpture of the Yaka and Suku of Southwestern lUniversit Catholique de Louvain, Revue des
Zaire. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms archologues et historiens dart de Louvain 12:
International. 169-93.
Bourgeois, A. P. 1981b. Masques Suku, Arts Oliveira, A. de. 1959. Mahamba. Tentativa de
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Sousberghe, Lon de. 1960. Lart Pende.
Fasc. 2. Bruxelles.
papers n 33.
Institute.
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Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 120
34. O alto forno lutengo tem o aspecto de uma parturiente. Para activar o fogo no seu interior, o mestre
fundidor ou mukwa lutengo, tritura o carvo de madeira manungu do cume, com a ajuda de uma longa
vareta.
A grande considerao em que tida a profisso de mestre fundidor permite-lhe usar uma pulseira
lukano em lato.
34. The tall furnace, lutengo, is in the shape of a woman in childbirth. To activate the fire in its interior,
the master smelter or mukwa lutengo, grinds the wood carbon manungu through the top, with the help of a
long rod.
The great respect in which the profession of master smelter is held allows him to wear the brass bracelet,
lukano.
Escultura TSHOKWE Sculture - Narie Louise Bastin - Edio CEAUP & DCTP (Faculdade de Letras -UP) Pg. 121