To the southwest of Lake Tanganyika lies a region home to the Tabwa people. Made up of around six major clans, the Tabwa population numbered around 200,000. Tabwa societies survive on land through agriculture and fishing. Small villages led by chiefs constituted the political structure of Tabwa life. There were no rulers or major states. Living at a key crossroads for people, goods and philosophies, the Tabwa people were heavily influenced by different types of people, the slave trade and the ivory trade. Religion has always been fundamental in the lives of many people. Religion and divination played a role in the lives of the Tabwa. Intuitive in nature, these people seek enlightenment. Tabwa constantly wonders why things happen and how they happen. Divination is imperative for finding solutions and help, solving problems and improving situations for the future. Masks are sporadic in Tabwa culture, but they are essential to many religious activities and performances. The main purpose of Tabwa bead masks was to seek advice from the spirits through divinatory possession rituals. It can be said to be a mask because of the prominent facial features, eye and mouth holes, and protruding nose. Another indicator is the fabric tie used to attach the mask to the head. Pearls make up the face. The back is made of animal skins and the outline of the face is made of feathers. This object was probably sewn together. Vibrancy and texture are added through an assortment of materials. The intricate beadwork shows the importance of peace. Its composition is symmetrical with a closed silhouette. Animal skins and feathers draw the eye downward and toward the face. Various patterns of triangles, zigzags, lines, stripes and even circles also emphasize the face. T...... middle of paper ......comprehension. This beaded mask was created in Zambia between the mid-19th and 20th centuries. We can understand the importance of the mask by looking at its complexity and the wide variety of symbols. Obviously, the Tabwa people were very religious and spiritual. Religion was important to people and to the survival of their traditions. If religion had diminished with colonial rule, beaded masks and divination would never have been part of their religion. Many traditions are present in religion. Being religiously oriented helps people better understand the meaning of life. The Tabwa people believed that the meaning of life was to give birth. But the infant mortality rate was very high. By residing and having faith in the spirits, they believed that luck could come to them. The Tabwa people had complex beliefs, but religion was always the focus..