Rainmaker's Ceremonial Axe, Bukano
Tonga, Zambia / Zimbabwe / Malawi / Mozambique
Iron, wood
Early 20th century
While similar to axes of the Shona, this is a distinct type that is characterized by its strong backward lean and upward-pointing blade. A vivid description of the rainmaking ceremony in which it was involved is described below, from Kwekudee's Trip Down Memory Lane blog post entitled "Tonga (Batonga People: Africa's River People," Jan. 09, 2014:
Rainmaking ceremonies malende or mpande, are some of the most significant traditions in Tonga culture. Many Tonga believe that special skills are bestowed upon rainmakers, the sikatongo- these are spiritual leaders who preside over agricultural shrines. It is these men and women who communicate with the ancestral spirits to ensure sufficient rains and good harvests. They are inheritors of the spirits of the founding Tonga people.
Rain ceremony is carried out in times of drought... [the rainmaker] is consulted by the elders as to what the problem could be and what needs to be done if the situation is to be corrected. Once consulted, he advises as to whether or not rain will be there that season and what needs to be done by the people by way of carrying out a rainmaking ceremony...
A day would normally be appointed performing this ceremony. All participants walk to the rainmaker’s home and there is no one allowed to put on white attire as white scares away rain and white clouds do not bring rain anyway. People go there as a group and sing as they walk to his house...
The participants sing and dance and use certain colours to appease the rain spirits: As people get to the rainmaker's place, they continue singing and the tempo is usually raised and they dance too, around the rain shrine. Meanwhile the rainmaker would be lying in his house communicating with the rain spirits. At an appropriate time, he gets out of the house dressed in his rainmaking ceremony attire. These are two pieces of cloth, a black one and a red one. The red one is strapped around his waist while the other is strung across his shoulder and he holds two ceremonial sticks of kafir corn stock in his hands. These are called misfunko in the local language. He also carries a ceremonial axe called bukano in Tonga. This is an arch-shaped axe.
The role of the rainmaker is very significant because he communicates the information of the spirits about rain and harvests to the community: He joins the dances around the rain shrine... Once the ritual is over, the rainmaker directs that the people walk back to their homes, but taking the route through the rainmaker’s home.
26.25 in :: 67 cm
InventoryID #13-1935
Price on Request
