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Carved out of ivory or wood in a variety of shapes, Chokwe whistles often bear miniature, stylized renderings of masks. Cikunza, the "patron saint" of the boys' initiation into manhood, is depicted with a pointed extension imitating the horn of a road antelope, symbolizing the fertility spirit. Typically such whistles were used by men during the hunt to communicate with their co-hunters and to call their dogs. They were either worn attached to a string as a necklace or tied to a spear.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- e4bc109739212af2
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 94883
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "94883",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Whistle (kasengosengo)",
"description": "Carved out of ivory or wood in a variety of shapes, Chokwe whistles often bear miniature, stylized renderings of masks. Cikunza, the \"patron saint\" of the boys' initiation into manhood, is depicted with a pointed extension imitating the horn of a road antelope, symbolizing the fertility spirit. Typically such whistles were used by men during the hunt to communicate with their co-hunters and to call their dogs. They were either worn attached to a string as a necklace or tied to a spear.",
"date": "late 1800s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1915.443",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60759326"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Musical Instrument"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 7.3 x 3.2 cm (2 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.)",
"cul": [
"Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola, Chokwe people"
],
"accession": "1915.443"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "94883",
"label": "Whistle (kasengosengo)",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "94883",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Whistle (kasengosengo)",
"description": "Carved out of ivory or wood in a variety of shapes, Chokwe whistles often bear miniature, stylized renderings of masks. Cikunza, the \"patron saint\" of the boys' initiation into manhood, is depicted with a pointed extension imitating the horn of a road antelope, symbolizing the fertility spirit. Typically such whistles were used by men during the hunt to communicate with their co-hunters and to call their dogs. They were either worn attached to a string as a necklace or tied to a spear.",
"date": "late 1800s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1915.443",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60759326"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Musical Instrument"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 7.3 x 3.2 cm (2 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.)",
"cul": [
"Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola, Chokwe people"
],
"accession": "1915.443"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "Probably hippopotamus ivory",
"tombstone": "Whistle (kasengosengo), late 1800s. Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo or Angola, Chokwe people. Probably hippopotamus ivory; overall: 7.3 x 3.2 cm (2 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Educational Purchase Fund, 1915.443",
"collection": "African Art",
"didYouKnow": "This was the first sculptural work from Africa to enter the CMA's collection.",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1915.443",
"creditline": "Educational Purchase Fund",
"updatedAt": "2026-06-10 17:55:35.145000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 94883,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "Probably hippopotamus ivory",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
{
"seq": 1,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1915.443/1915.443_web.jpg",
"mediaId": "e4bc109739212af2"
}