YAKA, Democratic Republic of Congo. Wood, brown patina. Mukoku Ngoombu" slit drum, with a rope around the neck from which a wooden stick hangs. It was played during a divination ritual called ngoombu weefwa. Height: 39 cm. Traces of erosion. Provenance: Collection of Patrice CHRISTY, an acknowledged specialist in wildlife conservation, particularly in Africa. He has co-authored several works on biodiversity, and his work has made a major contribution to understanding and preserving bird species in Africa, particularly in Gabon and Sâo-Tomé et Principe. All his objects were collected in the 1970s.