Luba Diviner’s Headdress (Nkaka)

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mid-20th century

Beads, raffia, fiber, feathers

A Nkaka is worn by both male and female followers of Bilumbu divination, a ritual of the Luba tribe for telling the future through supernatural means. Diviners enter a trance, offering themselves as mediums for ancestors or spirits to speak through them to onlookers. While “possessed” by the spirits, diviners are believed to actively read and interpret signs, diagnose problems, discern hidden truths, and respond to questioners with answers and advice.