stav, mvwala

Stav (mvwala) med inlägg av elfenben som tillhört en hög medlem av profetrörelsen i Kinshasa.

Profetrörelserna var invecklade organisationer med en mängd olika grader, funktioner och tecken som endast fick användas av medlemmar med en viss titel. Profeterna hämtade sin legitimitet både från gamla kongolesiska traditioner—som hövdingens talesperson—och det gamla testamentets profeter. Andra influenser var Frälsningsarmén (uniformer), den protestantiska missionen (lärare) och den koloniala administrationens byråkrati (medlemskort).

En viktig historisk föregångare till profeterna var den religiösa ledaren Dona Beatrice Kimpa Vita som ledde en kristen väckelse och motståndsrörelse i det gamla Kongoriket tills hon brändes på bål av portugiserna 1706.

Staff (mvwala) with inset ivory that belonged to a highly placed member of a prophetic movement in Kinshasa.

The prophetic movements were complex organisations with different grades, functions and symbols that could only be used by members with a certain title. The prophets derived their legitimacy both from ancient Kongo traditions – like the spokesmen for the chief – and from the prophets of the Old Testament. Other influences were the Salvation Army (uniforms), the Protestant missions (teachers) and the bureaucracies of the colonial administration (membership cards).

An important historic predecessor of the prophets was the religious leader Dona Beatrice Kimpa Vita, who led a Christian revival and resistance movement in the old Kingdom of Kongo until she was burnt at the stake by the Portuguese in 1706.