The oracle was held by both the diviner and his client and various manipulations were then carried out in order to establish contact with the ancestors in order to obtain insights into questions and otherwise inaccessible knowledge.
The head surmounted on the top has features quite typical of the Songye.
The neighboring people, the Luba, have a similar object and ritual, called kashekesheke, but the Songye call their friction device Katatora.
Height: 6" x Width: 3" x Depth: 2 ¾"