Painting of the Ituri rainforest, home of the Mbuti people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), by Anne Eisner Putnam. Heavy oil palette and brush, acrylic possibly used; signed "Anne Eisner", lower right.
Wooden face mask decorated with white, blue, and red paint; mouth carved in an oval, eyes have triangular lids with blue dots, chin has blue dots, cheeks have red and white dots, forehead has blue dots and white V-lines, straw beard; string attached to two nails in back; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Ten-note barrel-shaped sound box, also known as board piano or thumb piano and lukembi, likembe, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; open at top and closed at bottom; one hole in bottom and one on back; semi-circular red markings on sides and top, rectangles etched on sides; metal wrapped around keys; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Twelve-note sound box, also known as thumb piano, board piano, lukembi, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; one hole on base and one on back; one key has a coil wrap; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks on back; origin Ngwanda people of Central Africa.
Miniature five-string harp with wooden arm and base; base covered with skin that has been nailed down, arm has leopard type decoration, base has markings, hole cut out on top of base; origin Mangbetu people of the Ituri forest.
Wooden figure of a leopard man standing over an initiate of the nkumbi circumcision ritual; larger figure has spotted covering, slits for eyes and openings for arms, textured knee-length pants; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Wooden nkumbi household stool used in initiation with two pieces of wood lying on top; four legs, darker in color, curve upward, 3 holes in each side on the darker band of color; one piece of wood is inscribed "Innsbruck Sept 27 1953"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Sixteen-note sound box, also known as board piano or thumb piano and lukembi, likembe, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; two holes under the keys and some decoration on the side; inscription "RUMBA OPIKA MIE LEON L24B1954.BUNIA"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Twelve-note sound box, also known as thumb piano, board piano, lukembi, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; two holes on bottom and one on back; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks; origin Lese people of the Ituri rainforest.
A piece of bark cloth, a non-woven textile made by beating the inner bark of certain trees and bushes until it is fine and soft. Reddish brown with faint orange lines, design is made of small rectangles separated by two lines; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
A piece of bark cloth, a non-woven textile made by beating the inner bark of certain trees and bushes until it is fine and soft. Reddish orange and brown with intricate geometric patterns on light brown background; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Wooden figure of Mbuti carrying a well-carved hunting net, eyes closed, on an oval base; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Elephant hunting spear with wooden handle, metal blade, and cord wrapped around the handle attaching the blade; thought to be made by villagers and used by the Mbuti of the Ituri forest.
