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.

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images

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'.

Click Thumbnails for Larger Images of Angolan Omba - Ndoro Use

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The BEST Shoowa EVER!

These images show how Shoowa fabrics were worn, by both men and women.

Galerie Ezakwantu can also offer two ancient red examples, much like those in the above images.

This magnificent example was assembled from Kuba currency fabrics of different makers and vintage. It was collected by a Catholic Priest in former Zaire and must be the most complicated and extraordinary example known.

Click the thumbnail for an enlargement.  POA

Kuba Scarification

                                                                                                                           By Norman Hardy

Kuba and related peoples all adorned the body with scarification. Shoowa fabric patterns were replicated.

Woman were responsible for decorating the fabrics with Shoowa design.

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