Funerary Object (mboongitool)

This funerary object or mboongitool comes from the Kuba Kingdom. The Kuba Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Bakuba or Bushongo, is a traditional kingdom in Central Africa. This object is made from camwood or tukula. It is decorated with geometric patterns that are typical of Kuba skirts, cloth, and cosmetic boxes. The object is dark in color, but the worn areas show a contrasting red-orange color underneath. 

Tukula is a prized material in the Kuba Kingdom. It comes from the powdered heartwood of camwood. It is made by rubbing two pieces of heartwood together, which produces a red powder. The powder can be mixed with palm oil to create a paste. This paste is used as a textile dye, a paint for objects and faces, and to anoint the dead. The paste is also baked into blocks that are carved with detailed designs and presented as funerary gifts. The purpose of an object like this one would have been functional. It was made of tukula powder that funeral guests could take home and use. Each time they used some of the powder from the block, they would remember the dead and honor their memory. This ensured the afterlife of the deceased. The broken corner of this object suggests that it was used for its intended purpose.

Tukula is also a cosmetic and health product for skin. It is valued for its antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. The color red is important in Kuba culture. Tukula is used to ornament the face, hair, and chest during dances and important ceremonies. Tukula is similar to other plants around the world that have been historically used to make red dyes and pigments, such as madder and brazilwood.