Lusona : Sambalu, the rabbit

Sand drawings (sona) are part of the oral tradition of the Tchokwe people (Angola) and serve primarily as a mnemonic device in storytelling. Sona are drawn by the men. Boys learn the story telling and sona drawing as part of their initiation rites. Novices are taught by drawing masters called akwa kuta sona. The number of rows and columns depends on the motif to be represented. By applying their method, the Tchokwe drawing experts reduce the memorization of a whole design to that of mostly two numbers and a geometric algorithm. Sona are usually traceable graphs meaning they can be drawn without lifting the finger or retracing a line. To begin a lusona (singular of sona) the artist usually begins by smoothing out the sand and using his fingertips to create a grid of equidistant dots called to be that serve as a framework for the lusona.