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Difficulty: HardMnemonic Devices and Record Keeping

The *lukasa* created by the Luba peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents a sophisticated system of record keeping. Which of the following statements best explains how the physical design of this object functions within its performative context?

  1. A
    It is activated during judicial trials by driving beads and metal pins into the wood to bind legal oaths and invoke spiritual retribution against wrongdoers.
  2. B
    It serves as a literal cartographic chart that utilizes the spacing of shells and beads to map the exact coordinates and physical distances between distant provinces.
  3. C
    It was displayed as a static, permanent wall relief in the royal palace to allow the king to silently contemplate ancestral lineage and validate dynastic rule without external assistance.
  4. It is held in the hand and touched dynamically by a trained specialist to trigger the oral recitation of complex genealogical relationships and historical events during political councils.Answer

Answer

It is held in the hand and touched dynamically by a trained specialist to trigger the oral recitation of complex genealogical relationships and historical events during political councils.
The correct option is correct because the lukasa (memory board) is a tactile, portable device used by the Mbudye Society of the Luba Kingdom. Initiates touch the beads, pins, and shell elements to navigate complex oral histories, king lists, and migrations, translating the visual and tactile arrangements into spoken narrative during important state events.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the material and structural form of the lukasa, noting the hand-held wood board decorated with beads, pins, and carved elements.
Identify that the object is designed to be held in the left hand and traced with the right forefinger, indicating a tactile and portable function.
Understanding the physical interaction with the object is key to determining its performative use.
2
Determine the role of the performer and the social context of the Lukasa within Luba society.
Recall that members of the Mbudye Society (a council of religious and political specialists) are the only ones trained to read the board.
Associating the object with its designated performers clarifies that it is not for silent contemplation by a single ruler.
3
Evaluate how the information is stored and retrieved from the board's surface.
Recognize that the configuration of beads and pins acts as a mnemonic code to recall oral histories, rather than serving as a literal cartographic map or a physical oath-binding repository.
Distinguishing between conceptual mnemonic devices and literal record-keeping systems helps identify the correct functional description.

Key Concept

The lukasa is a portable mnemonic device whose tactile surface of beads, metal pins, and wood carvings is interpreted by trained Mbudye Society initiates to orally recount Luba royal history, genealogies, and political protocols.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Mnemonic Devices and Record Keeping

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