Costume for a Diviner’s Acolyte (Umkhwetha) (work of art)
Artwork Info
About
This is an example of a costume for a diviner’s acolyte. Xhosa diviners communicate directly with ancestors and other spirits—through trance, dream, divination, and sacred dance—divining the causes of illness and other misfortunes. They conduct ceremonies and rites of appeasement and are skilled in herbal medicine. Three times a year—marking the new year, spring planting, and harvest time—diviners and acolytes perform dances to ensure success and good fortune. Dances are also held to mark the stages of training for acolytes, which last five years.
tags: ceremony, community, seasons, movement
Images
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Costume for a Diviner’s Acolyte (Umkhwetha) by Xhosa artists
Credit
Purchased with funds from the State of North Carolina, by exchange