Dinka Stool Congo

The Dinka are a herder Nilotic group, which is a group of people from the Nile Basin speaking Nilo-Saharan languages, which are part of northwestern Congo, Western Ethiopia, Southern Uganda and Kenya, and northern Tanzania. These groups move according to the seasons from place to place in the search for water and grazing land for good pasturage. These stools and headrests are known as thoch (stool) and are used as headrests and seats by both old men and women. They are also used to protect elaborate coiffures. In the Dinka society and neighboring peoples, headrests like this are very personal. They are believed to house the soul of the owner. In some sources, similar stools or headrests have been attributed to the Bongo people living in the Dinka and Bari neighborhoods.  The Dinka nomadic lifestyle is reflected in their art. In fact, the Dinka have excelled in the production of small objects, easy to carry. Stools and headrests are among these precious objects. Dinka headrests or neck rests are carved from a single piece of yellowish-brown wood and consist of three to four stable legs, sometimes carved separately from one another. In most cases like here, the entire piece is made from one single piece of wood. The upper level parts have various forms and are usually narrow, curved with rounded corners, slightly concave along their length, and convex across their width, with a convex underside. Some have zoomorphic motifs which include birds, antelopes, and giraffes. As far as we know, the Dinka settled in the area around 1800 and have often been in conflict with their neighboring peoples, such as the Atuot. Their reputation as redoubtable warriors comes from their successful defense against the Ottomans centuries ago. Being a Valiant warrior is an important value that the Dinka transmits to the youth. This value is taught through the initiation of young boys. At the end of the initiation, the boys are presented with a spear, a club, and a shield, the equipment of a warrior. The lifestyle of the Dinka is that of nomads and herders. Today Dinka people raise cattle and practice agriculture. Little is known about their art. However, Dinka's personal and body adornments are among the most astonishing on the continent. Height (In): 7.0 Width (In): 16.5 Depth (In): 10.0 154070