African Arts Gallery

This knife, also called Trumbash, whose double-edged, curved blade is shared with a raised rib, has a wooden handle. A weapon of combat and prestige, it could also form a popular accessory during ritual dance ceremonies. Established in the forest in the northeast of Zaire, between Bomokandi and the Uele river, the Mangbetu kingdom expressed itself through architectural works that fascinated European visitors in the 19th century. Their furniture, weapons, ornaments, pottery and statuary were imbued with a rare aesthetic quality. Several groups established in the south of Uele were placed from 1820 under the authority of the Mangbetu kingdom: Bangaba, Makere, Mamvu, etc... A profusion of prestigious objects, as well as utilitarian objects, were produced for the dignitaries . From 1892, Niangara becoming the Belgian colonial capital, taxes were collected from families.