Pair of Scarification Blades, Idria
Lugbara, Uganda / D.R. Congo
Iron
Late 19th / early 20th century

The shape of these scarification blades is somewhat nonexclusive, and they could have originated from a number of cultural groups. They were collected among the Lugbara (Lugbare) in Uganda, and similar examples have been collected from the Mangbetu, Kuba, Twa (Pygmy), Lake, and Ngweolo (De Waele & Lefebvre, Couteaux de Scarifications du Congo, 2007; Lindblom, African Razors, 1943). 

These miniature blades served a number of purposes as tools and fashion accessories. The long, thin handle could be thrust into the hair, leaving the top piece to be displayed for style. The sharp razor was used for shaping and cutting hair and cutting the skin to produce patterns of cicatrisation (scarification) or keloids (raised individual marks). In addition the inherent value of iron, the specialized form of these hairpin-razors gave them meaning and reflected a woman's status. Indeed, Sieber wrote that some women "without one or more razors in her hair would not be considered completely dressed" (African Textiles and Decorative Arts, 1972).

The Lugbara people live mainly in northwestern Uganda and the adjoining area of the D.R. Congo. They are settled agriculturists, subsisting primarily by shifting hoe cultivation. Millet is the traditional staple, and cassava and tobacco are also grown. Marriage entails a substantial bride-price in livestock or iron implements. The Lugbara lack a centralized political authority, and what formal authority exists is exercised by rainmakers and the heads of large family groups. The majority of Lugbara still practice ancestor worship; they believe in a creator god, Adroa. They are one of the peoples least affected by modern changes in Uganda, maintaining a strong sense of their own identity ("Lugbara," Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Feb. 2016; Personal communication, Edward Aikobua, Dec. 2020).

5.375, 5.875 in :: 13.5, 15 cm

InventoryID #13-1689

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