Nkutshu Metal Currency Croquet Wickets Kusu Region Congo

Rare traditional metal currency from the Nkutshu people of the Kusu region in the Congo. These distinctive forms, often referred to as “croquet wickets” due to their shape, functioned as an important medium of exchange and store of wealth.

The Nkutshu called this currency Konga or Kunga. Among their neighbors, the Basongo Meno (of Mongo origin), they were known as Boloko or Okano. Beyond simple trade items, these objects held significant social and economic value and were widely used in dowry payments and major transactions.

These pieces represent an important example of Central African traditional currency, reflecting the complex economic and social systems of the region.

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