IVORY SPOONS 105 have many sculptural similarities to wooden examples collected in fairly large numbers north of the Rubi and Likati Rivers. These utensils, which the Zande call papa (fig. 8) and the Sire-Boguru (Bogoru) call ebengwe (figs. 9 and 10), are large-sized ladle-spoons that were mainly used to stir food while cooking.2 While ladle-spoons of this type are known from other groups as well, it appears that the production of most known examples is associated with the Zande. With this as a starting point, it is possible to suggest that the Zande might have played either a direct or indirect role in the creation of ivory spoons such as those seen in figures 1 and 5. This hypothesis is supported to some extent by the existence of an ivory spoon in the MRAC collection that was collected in the 1900s, and whose collector identified it as “Azande” (fig. 12). Whatever the case may be, the presence of openwork handles on both “Zande-type” wooden spoons and “Bangotype” ivory spoons raises the question, Is it possible that another type of object present in the area could have inspired this non-functional aesthetic detail? This is entirely possible, especially when one takes into account the various kinds of traditional weapons in the region. There is a type of short sword, said to be of Bobwa (Ababua) origin, but which was adopted and unquestionably manufactured by other groups FIG. 11 (far left): Spoon, papa. Zande. Wood. L: 20.5 cm. Collected by A. Hutereau in the early 1910s. MRAC, EO.0.0.13846 (registered in 1913). © MRAC. Photo: J.-M. Vandyck. FIG. 12 (left): Spoon. Zande. Elephant ivory. L: 13.5 cm. Collected by Mr. Fraipont. MRAC, EO.0.0.2663 (registered in 1911). © MRAC. Photo: J.-M. Vandyck. FIG. 13 (lower left): Detail of the handle of a paddle, mongala. Wood. L: 193 cm. Collected before 1897(?). MRAC, EO.0.0.31137. © MRAC. Photo: J.-M. Vandyck. FIG. 14 (left): Short sword. Ababua type. Iron, wood. L: 50 cm. Donated by L. Gremling (acquired in the 1890s). MRAC, EO.0.0.40080 (registered in 1943). © MRAC. Photo: J.-M. Vandyck. FIG. 15 (above): Ornamented razor, mbolo wa ligbagba. Mongelima. Iron, leather. L: 23.5 cm. Collected by C. Delhaise (1909–1910?). MRAC, EO.0.0.3024-3. © MRAC. Photo: J.-M. Vandyck.
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