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African Currencies - African Currency

 

Monnaie Africaine

 

Afrikanische Vormünzliche Zahlungsmittel

 

 

 

Contact us for information on these objects, larger resolution pictures and/or prices.

 

 

 

 

Shell Currency

 

Ndoro - Mpande - Monne - Omba - Imba

 

 

 

The Ila-Speaking Peoples of Northern Rhodesia Volume I - Page 111 - Chief Shaloba

 

 

Offered by Galerie Ezakwantu

 

Shell disks obtained from the genus Conus Virgo or the Calcareous Operculum such as Conus Turbo were considered currency and traded in much of Central Africa and portions of Southern Africa. Their usage predates the arrival of Portuguese in the 15th century. Men, women, young and old, all considered these articles prize possessions. They were traded for gold, ivory, slaves, fabric, guns, gunpowder, etc. Chiefs and headmen are known to have worn many. They signified wealth, rank and authorative power.

 

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Depending on where you were, the shell disks might be called Ndoro, Mpande, Monne, Omba and Imba. Remnants of the shell trade reveal that the Congo and Zambezi rivers served as "hiways of trade" running inland from the coast. Along these routes the Portuguese introduced porcelain examples. In that Europe "and Portugal in particular",  had yet to produce porcelain, the bulk of reproductions were manufactured in Portuguese Macau.

 

      

 

The example on the left was collected in Namibia and the right, Western Zambia.

 

In Southern Angola and Namibia, tribes added lead to the shells center, so that a small hole could be made into the lead itself for attachment. The idea was copied from their method of attaching ivory Ekipa's to leather thongs. As soon as you travel north or east "away from the Ekipa region", attachment was made by inserting fiber, leather, brass or copper wire through a centre hole. Many examples uncovered today are easily centuries old.

 

 

Perhaps the earliest reference to the shell currencies are found in the journals of a 16th century Portuguese chronicler who observed that; 'the Monomatapa and the Mocarangas (Karanga) and their vassals wear on their foreheads a white shell, as a jewel, strung from the hair, and the Monomatapa wears another large shell on his chest. They call these shells andoros'.

 

 

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Songye - Nsapo Currency Axe

 

 

Circa 1900 or Before

 

 

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One of the most unusual and well known currencies in Africa are Songye - Naspo currency axes of the Congo river basin.  According to Manfred A. Zirngibl in his book Rare African Weapons, page 129;

“The Songye are known for idolatry, masks and hatchets. The last mentioned represent and absolute high point in craftsmanship. The enormous expressiveness of their hatchets makes them objects of desire not only by collectors of African weapons but also by art lovers. The hatchets were used both as symbols of rank and dignity and as currency weapons. Due to their great popularity as items of barter, axes of this type have been found all the way over to the vicinity of Lake Tanganyika.

 The wooden shaft which basically comes in only one design is normally covered with sheet copper hammered very thin, but can also occasionally be found enclosed in lizard skin. In contrast to the handle, the blade can be made out of a wide variety of materials and has as many different designs.”

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Luvale -Lovale Currency Rope

 

Western Zambia

 

 

 

 

This rope was collected in Western Zambia approximately 15 years ago from natives who had not before experienced ethnographic arts enthusiasts collecting in their area.

 

 

 

 

The rope was carved from bark and stored in this convenient tradable form, which was a currency in the area. The Luvale and other Chokwe related peoples (Mbunda - Lucahazi - Lwena) use this product to bind with during the construction of their homes and fish traps.

 

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Currency Fabric - DRC - Congo

 

Mbole - Bambole

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These woven panels date to the first portion of the 20th century and are extremely rare in collections. Each has an individual design said to characterize the original owner. They were traded as currencies and their distribution was limited.

 

 

 

The Mbole live on the left bank of the Zaire River, in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The name Mbole, is derived from their position, meaning "the people from downstream".

 

 

During the 18th century, the Mbole migrated to this forest region from north of the Lualaba River. Politically each Mbole village is autonomous, headed by a chief chosen from the elders of each family.  The women of the tribe are involved mainly in cultivating manioc and rice while the men hunt.

 

 

Lilwa (libwe), a graded men's organization, dominates Mbole life. It supervises ritual, educational, judicial, social, political, and economic functions.

 

 

Boys of seven to twelve years old are isolated in the forest for circumcision and initiation, undergoing ritual purification and proving themselves through ordeals and fasting. The head of the lilwa society, known as Isoya, is so important that he is buried in a tree.

 

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Currency Fabrics - Congo

 

Kuba ?     Songye ?

 

 

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These two old currency fabrics came to us in a circa 1900 context. We have seen early example from the Kuba which are related to the weave. The Songye are also known to have made such items on looms. The weaving on these is exceptionally fine.

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Shoowa Cloth - Kuba Fabrics

 

Velours du Kasai

 

Shoowa Raffia Fabrics

 

 

 

Example A

 

Kuba cloth or Kuba Shoowa fabric is made by the Shoowa clan of the Kuba and related peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - formerly Zaire.

 

 

 The weaving was traditionally done by men on a loom. (Photo Zagourski)

 

The fabric was made from a very fine fibre found inside young palm trees leafs. Leafs were dried in the sun, then torn into pieces approximately 2 mm wide which we call raffia. The fine leaf fibers were then woven on a loom.

 

 

Example B

 

 In earlier times, cloths were used as currency or given as gifts. Value was determined by the complexity of the work undertaken. Long cloths as this on offer, are heavy and were highly prized.  Individual items such as these would take several months, or even a year to produce.

 

            

 

Woman were responsible for decorating the fabrics with Shoowa design.

 

The embroidery of the woven fabrics was reserved for women - women who ideally were pregnant.

 

 

Kuba Scarification

 

Shoowa design was created spontaneously - but followed the body scarification patterns of the people.

 


 

In addition to small currencies, long wraps up to eight meters were worn around the waist by both men and women.  The men called their Mapel and the women Ntshak.

 

 

Example C

Our examples A - B and C were worn in a like fashion as above and below. The two  red male examples called Mapel - were collected over 20 years ago.

 

 

 

        

 

                                       Kuba Scarification                                              By Norman Hardy

 

Kuba and related peoples adorned their body with scarification. Shoowa fabric patterns were often replicated.

 

The BEST Shoowa EVER!

 

This magnificent example was assembled from old Shoowa currency fabrics of different makers and vintage.

 

 

 

Click this thumbnail for an enlargement.

 

 

                

 

                                              Father Michael Perry 2009                    Father Michael Perry 1983

 

This fabric came to the attention of  Father Michael Perry OFM in the 1980's, who is currently the Vicar General of the worldwide Order of Friars Minor. At the time Mike was a priest stationed in Kolwezi - Zaire (DRC) and had great interest in people. We have never encountered a more complicated - extraordinary example.

 

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Trade Beads - Slave Beads

 

 

 

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Slave beads (often called Trade beads) were otherwise decorative glass beads used between the 16th and 20th century as a currency to exchange for goods, services and slaves (hence the name). Made to ease the passage of European explorers and then traders mainly across the African continents, the beads were made throughout Europe although the Venetians dominated production. Trade beads are also found in the United States and Canada, and throughout Latin America. The production of slave (trade) beads became so popular that literally tons of these beads were used for this purpose. Beads were used as ballast in slave/trade ships for the outbound trip. The beads and other trade items were exchanged for human cargo as well as ivory, gold and other goods desired in Europe and around the world. The beads traded were not of a set design, but were produced according to demand. Millefiori (thousand flower) beads from Venice, Italy were one of the most commonly traded beads, and are commonly known as "African trade beads." They were produced by creating flowers or stripes from glass canes, that were then cut and molded onto a core of solid color. Beads such as the kiffa beads of Mauritania are thought to have resulted from women creating powdered glass beads to mimic the appearance of millefiori beads.

The success of this form of currency can largely be attributed to the high intrinsic value African people put upon decorative items. Africans often used beads for currency, (often referred to as African money) and wealth storage, and social status could be easily determined by the quality, quantity and style of jewellery worn. This created a high demand for trade beads in Africa.

 

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Most of the seven strings of trade beads on offer date to 19th century Venice, though the brass examples with cosmological symbols were made by the Baule of the Ivory coast. Carnelian beads were made in Bohemia, India and the Sahara. This group is offered as "a collection".

 

Chevron Necklace

 

 

This rare 4 - 6 layered Chevron necklace of 28 beads has a circumference of 34 cms, or + - 13 inches. The largest bead (center) has a 7.5 cm circumference, or + - 3 inches.

 

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Chevron Beads are special glass beads, originally made for trade in the New World and the slave trade in Africa by glassmakers in Italy as far back as the early 15th century. They are composed of many consecutive layers of colored glass. The initial core is formed in a star-shaped mold, and can have anywhere between five and fifteen points. The next layer of glass conforms to that star shape. Several layers of glass can be applied (typically four to seven layers), either star-shaped or smooth. After all layers have been applied, the glass is drawn out to the desired thickness and when cooled, cut into short segments showing the resulting star pattern at their ends. The ends can be ground to display the chevron pattern. Chevron beads are traditionally composed of red, blue, and white layers, but modern chevrons can be found in any color combination. Original beads made for trade to the New World and Africa were typically composed of green, white, blue and red layers.

 

Chevron beads are a specific, historically important type of trade bead. Africa was not the only outlet for these beads. As far back as Christopher Columbus' expeditions, these beads were traded to Native Americans for goods and slaves.

 

Chevron beads are very popular collectors' items and they are still highly valued in present day West Africa, where they continue to be worn for prestige and ceremonial purposes, and occasionally buried with the dead.

 

 

Follow this link to learn more about trade beads - slave beads.  
 

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Many weapons of the Congo basin were used as currency.  

 

 

Weapons - Congo

 

Click this thumb to visit our Congo Weapons Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

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