Lukasa (Memory Board)

Only a select few have the expertise to interpret the intricate, abstract symbolism of this ,lukasa. Handheld libraries of historical and political knowledge, lukasa first appeared as divine revelations of spirit mediums, and were later given sculptural form by Luba artists. But only high-level initiates of the Mbudye society, who wielded substantial political influence in the Luba Kingdom, can speak to their meaning. Holding this lukasa in the palm of their hand, an Mbudye member would trace their fingers over the lukasa’s beads, bumps, and incisions. This helped them to recite ancestral lineages, describe the territorial boundaries of local chiefdoms, and recall the founding and history of the kingdom.