A Hemba flywhisk collected in Kalemie region of DR Congo, surmounted by a female figure. Glossy patina, signs of ritual use and age. Incl stand. Hemba fly whisks occupy a subtle yet culturally resonant position within the broader sculptural traditions of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where Hemba carving is best known for its monumental ancestral figures (singiti) and refined portraiture of lineage founders. Although fly whisks are smaller and more portable than the large commemorative sculptures for which the Hemba are renowned, they nonetheless participate in the same system of ancestral veneration, chiefly authority, and performative display. Their formal elegance reflects the aesthetic values that structure Hemba woodcarving: balanced proportion, a poised verticality, and an emphasis on the head as a locus of wisdom and ancestral force. A carved Hemba fly whisk typically features a sculpted handle surmounted by a small human head or bust that echoes the physiognomy of full-scale singiti figures. Hallmarks include a domed forehead, almond-shaped eyes framed by high arched brows, and a calm, introspective expression projecting moral composure. The coiffure is often rendered in tiered, geometric arrangements, replicating styles associated with historic leaders. Below the carved section, the handle transitions into a socketed or wrapped base from which animal-hair fibers extend to form the whisk itself. The tactile contrast between polished wood and soft fiber underscores the object’s roles in both ritual practice and social presentation. Within Hemba communities, fly whisks serve as signs of prestige linked particularly to male elders, chiefs, and ritual specialists. They appear in ceremonies where they function simultaneously as instruments of gesture, symbols of authority, and extensions of the personhood of the individual who wields them. As with other Central African insignia, the fly whisk acts as a spatial marker: in council meetings, it delineates the speaker’s authority; in ritual contexts, it participates in the communication with ancestors whose presence is invoked to sanction decisions or safeguard communal well-being. The carved head on the handle effectively anchors the object in lineage history, allowing it to act as a small-scale embodiment of ancestral insight. For catalogue purposes, Hemba fly whisks are noteworthy for the way they integrate prestige symbolism with the refined sculptural language characteristic of Hemba carvers. Their portability belies the density of cultural meaning they carry. These objects provide insight into a continuum of Hemba aesthetic values—from the intimate scale of personal insignia to the monumental grandeur of shrine figures—and reveal how authority is encoded not only in large commemorative sculpture but also in objects of everyday ritual performance. References Bourgeois, Arthur P. Art of the Hemba. Munich: Prestel, 1994. Roberts, Allen F., and Mary Nooter Roberts. Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History. New York: Museum for African Art, 1996. Vogel, Susan. Africa Explores: 20th Century African Art. New York: Museum for African Art, 1991.