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129 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What ethnicities are in the Gabon/Equatorial Guinea/Cameroon area? |
Fang, Tsogho, Mbete |
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Describe the Fang |
"Fang" is a misnomer used by 19th century European explorers. The Fang identify themselves by their lineage or clan names of which there are many. The Fang were feared as ferocious warriors and acquired a reputation for being cannibals. Egalitarian society. |
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Describe Tessmann's relationship with the Fang |
Tessmann was the first to systematically explore and describe the life, religion, customs and art of the Fang. He busted the myth about cannibalism within the Fang by attributing it to particular types of ancestor worship manifest in the Byeri and the activities of the Ngil secret society (with earth figures). |
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Mythology of Byeri objects |
In Fang mythology, when the God of the Earth died, this younger brother the God of the Heavens descends to earth to take the Byeri object that his brother left for him. But his sister and wife disapproves and sends her son to take it from him, sending them on an odyssey with 12 steps of perseverance to master untamed nature. Byeri is by definition a wandering entity that moves around a lot or is stolen. |
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Male Byeri statuette mounted on an ossuary Fang-Betsi Gabon Before 1927 Wood with dark brown patina, brass, bark Basically speaking, the Byeri is an ossuary. Bones of the dead are stored in a package, basket or cylinder made of bark like this one. The figure is detachable and used in Melan initiation rituals. It could be placed behind a sheer raffia screen and moved around in a puppet-like fashion. Strictly speaking, these ossuaries are Nesk Byeri, since the word Byeri refers to the hallucinogen, Alan used during highest level initiation. Almost no Byeri retain their bark containers, but a thorn on the back of the figure shows its function. |
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Describe ritualistic uses of Byeri |
The use of Byeri is part of ancestor cult practices. It is only during the highest level of initiation (Melan, 20+ years) that an initiate can receive esoteric knowledge of the Byeri. Bones of ancestors are placed in the container and the intiate drinks a Melan concoction. The initiate must spend the night next to the Byeri and the hallucinogenic affects allow the initiate to receive from the Byeri his true name, nickname and personal taboos. The skull was thought to be the receptacle of vital strength. |
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Key characteristics of ALL Byeri |
Hair line across the top of a heart-shaped head. Wig-like headdress often with stylized plaits (worn by warriors). Broad forehead. Short nose, large mouth with teeth filed to points. Narrow chin. Frontal pose with arms detached from body. Often holding a stylized cup for offerings. Protruding navel. Rounded and shortened legs/calves. |
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Male Byeri figure Fang-Ngumba Before 1902 S. Cameroon Wood with brown patina and brass plates Ngumba Byeri can be distinguished by the high amount of brass plates stapled to the wood. Also, the square beard and the protruding mouth. The figure holds a "medicine" horn with both hands. |
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Female Byeri figure Fang-Mabea S. Cameroon/N. Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Wood with brown patina The Mabea sub-group lived closest to the coast and is probably what Tessmann called the "Pahouin." The Mabea features can be distinguished by the light brown or red patina, the naturalistic features, the careful polish and finish, the delicate musculature and the detailed rendering of toes and fingers. |
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Male Byeri Fang-Ntumu S. Cameroon/N. Equatorial Guinea/N. Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with dark brown patina A quarter of the people described as Fang originally belonged to the Ntumu sub-group. The different types of Byeri show how closely linked the sub-groups of the Fang are. |
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Female Byeri Fang-Ntumu S. Equatorial Guinea/N. Gabon Early 20th century Wood with pale patina, brass, cowrie shells, feathers One of the few Fang objects originally collected by Tessmann. Atypical because of it's lack of a dark patina, but otherwise typical for the Ntumu with its youthful look, slim torso and long arms. Nothing too scary about this one, instead it has a meditative and serene look. The Byeri were typically feared and handled with great care by the Fang. |
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Female Byeri Fang-Okak or Fang S. Cameroon/N. Equatorial Guinea/N. Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with blackish patina, metal Probably the portrait of an older woman. Typical of Okak with full volumes, prognathic mouth, two braids that end in pompoms. This is an example of a Byeri with an "oozing patina" so typical of the Byeri of the Fang. Some Byeri have been oozing a sticky, viscous brownish-yellow or red liquid for over a hundred years, giving the appearance that the figures are sweating. Oozes especially when moved. |
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Male Byeri Fang-Okak or Mekeney NW Gabon/S. Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Wood with thick blackish patina This relatively large figure has a pear-shaped face with a "Rastafari" type coiffure, a wide prognathic mouth and the oozing patina. |
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Male Byeri Fang-Mvai N. Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with dark brown patina The most distinctive feature of the Mvai sub-group is the ceremonial plaited coiffure with 3 crests, tied in a cadogan at the nape of the neck. Other features include coffee bean half-closed eyes, a protruding barrel belly and muscular legs. |
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Female Byeri, "Black Venus" Fang-Betsi Gabon Early 20th century Wood with dark "oozing" patina The Betsi sub-group is also referred to as the southern Fang and the "Black Venus" is considered the archetype of the southern Fang style. It has a large head, a fine nose, jutting mouth, dynamic body and fleshy legs. The Betsi are also the originators of the "heads alone" Byeri. |
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Male Byeri Fang-Betsi Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with dark brown patina, metal The metal eyes were fashioned by the Fang before contact with Europeans. The back shows evidence of geometric scarification marks/patterns. |
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African/Fang-Betsi name for the "heads alone" Byeri |
angokh-nlo-byeri >(n~) |
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Byeri Head Fang-Betsi Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with brown patina This is an example of the angokh-nlo-byeri ("heads alone") of the southern Fang. Exists only among the Betsi in the south. Even among the Betsi, these are much rarer than the full body Byeri. |
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Byeri Head Fang-Betsi Gabon 17th-18th century Wood with heavy black "oozing" patina, pieces of mirror Scientific analysis explains the oozing patina. A complex mixture of substances with a consistency similar to that of flax oil was rubbed on the surface. It is made up of palm oil, charcoal powder, copal raisin and siccative seed oil. This angokh-nlo-byeri was originally made with metal eyes, but mirrors were added after contact with Europeans. |
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So Mask Fang-Ntumu Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Wood, polychrome pigments, plant fibers The Fang are less known for their So masks. They were first described by Tessmann and can be distinguished by their anthropozoomorphic features and long horns, which might allude to antelope. They are used in the lowest level of initiation, Alu, for boys of ages 5 to 8. In Alu initiation, a figure dances with the So mask accompanied by his acolytes. |
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So Mask Fang-Ntumu Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Wood with polychrome pigments, plant fibers The So masks were used to invoke "shades," or spirits of the dead, and scare the young initiates. Other tests of endurance during So initiation included drinking "medicine" (a nauseating cocktail), insults, diving into nests of fire ants and sexually charged dances. |
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Describe the Ngil secret society of the Fang |
The purpose of the Ngil rite was above all to scare. They would scare those with evil intentions or those who possessed forbidden fetishes. Often when an unexplained death occurred or when witchcraft was suspected, the Ngil maskers would go from village to village at the expense and request of petitioners to frighten with the help of the Ngil masks. But after unruly behavior of its members, the Ngil society was banned by colonial administration in the early 20th century, making the "authentic" masks very rare. |
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Ngil Mask Fang-Ntumu Gabon 19th century Light wood with kaolin This is probably the most famous Ngil mask. What is considered terrifying to the Fang, comes across as pleasantly harmonious to Westerners (geometry of features, brightness, rounded features). Key characteristics include elongated face (especially the nose), rounded eyebrows, large forehead and proganthic mouth. Tessmann recorded much about the Ngil and the scarification patterns on the Fang people. These scarification patterns can be seen on the Ngil masks. The geometric and zig-zag patterns offer a contrast to the rounded features of the mask. |
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Describe the Ngil initiation. |
Ngil Great Initiate leaning against a large recumbent earth figure. Early 20th century For those who want to join this unofficial police force, initiation is very harsh. In the esam ngi, a secret enclosure, they built a large earth figure in which they placed bones of slaves and prisoners of war, and decorate with skulls, feathers and antelope horns. The initiates built a hut next to the earth figure and dug a tunnel underneath it and filled it with bones and spears, symbolizing the "mother of Ngil." The initiate had to leap into the tunnel and dig himself out. The objectives of the initiation is to show the participant that the masks are not mysterious beings and to derive power from the dead. This is an important difference from this initiation, in which the bones of anonymous dead are used, and the Byeri Melan initiation, in which the bones of ancestors are used. Bones of strangers in the Ngil initiation help to protect the living from witchcraft. |
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Ngil Mask Fang-Ntumu Gabon 19th century Light wood with kaolin Very small eyes. Hot iron used to achieve "minimalist" decorative engravings. |
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Ngontang Mask Fang-Fang or Ntumu Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Light wood with polychrome paint Collected by Tessmann in 1914. Defies classical examples of Fang art. The ngontang is the Fang crested helmet mask. These helmet masks replaced the Ngil masks after the society was suppressed during the colonial era. This one has two faces and is meant to strike fear into suspected witch-doctors with its multiple, all-seeing eyes. |
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Ngontang Helmet Mask Fang-Fang or Betsi Gabon or Equatorial Guinea Early 20th century Light wood with polychrome paint These helmet masks were used to fight off evus, a type of witchcraft in which a witchdoctor places a parasite into a host to live off others and then removes the parasite through ritualistic autopsy after death. The ngontang are a 20th century creation. The name means "face of the daughter of the white man," thus the creation of the ngontang is connected with the arrival of Europeans. |
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Ngontang Helmet Mask Fang-Fang or Betsi Gabon or Equatorial Guinea 20th century Wood with polychrome paint These were produced a lot from the early to mid-20th century. |
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Ngontang Helmet Mask Fang-Fang or Betsi Gabon or Equatorial Guinea 20th century Light wood with kaolin In the mid-20th century, the helmet masks looked more like this one, with a larger number of smaller faces. In almost all cases, the ngontang masks are Fang and have Fang features - heart-shaped faces, geometric scarification patterns, small incised eyes, pouting mouths, white faces. |
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Ekekek Mask Fang-Ntumu N. Gabon 20th century Wood with polychrome paint, raffia, fibers The Ekekek masks, like the ngontang masks, were made as a result of contact with Europeans. There are relatively few examples of Ekekek masks. |
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Ekekek Mask Fang-Ntumu N. Gabon 20th century Wood with kaolin, plant and animal fibers Contemporary sources state that the Ekekek masks are meant to represent Europeans. In the context of colonization, they are meant to be terrifying beings. |
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Figure of a Female Ancestor Tsogho S. Gabon 20th century Light wood with kaolin The Tsogho are the southern neighbors of the Fang and their art synthesizes many influences from neighboring groups. The Fang (Byeri features), M'bete (similar statues used as reliquaries), the Punu and the Lumbo (extensive use of kaolin). These female figures are often representative of the primordial woman, Disumba. Effigies of Disumba can often be found in the temples of the Tsogho intiation society, Bwiti. The society's teachings are based in ideas of reincarnation, so the layout of these temples are representative of the human form and rituals are symbolic of death and rebirth. |
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Ancestor Figure M'bete/Ambete Gabon or Republic of Congo 19th/20th century Wood, kaolin, panther teeth, fiber, metal The M'bete claim Kota origin. They practice ancestor worship, but do not have reliquary boxes. Instead, the figures themselves hold the relics. |
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Ancestor Figure M'bete/Ambete Gabon or Congo 19th century Wood, fiber, metal, pearls, cowrie, shells The ancestor figures served as the reliquary container. They usually had a dorsal rectangular cavity that contained the relics, especially the bones of ancestors. |
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Ancestor Figure M'bete/Ambete Gabon or Congo 19th century Wood, fiber, metal, pearls, shells, cowrie In most cases, the arms were closely attached to the body. The faces were flattened and stylized. Some were covered in brass sheets, which allude to Kota art. Conceptually, the M'bete ancestor figures are half-way between the Fang Byeri and Kota reliquaries. |
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Ethnicities in the Gabon/Congo area |
Kota (-Obamba and -Mohongwe) and Punu |
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Ethnicities in the Congo |
Teke, Kuyu, Kongo, Yombe Kwele |
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Describe the Kota |
The Kota became famous for their reliquary figures, which became the most iconic and often imitated artworks of the African continent. The brass used to make these objects and brass jewelry caused Europeans to seek for the mines in Africa used to extract this brass. |
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Reliquary Figure Kota-Mahongwe Gabon 19th/20th century Wood and brass The Kota practiced a unique type of ancestor worship that involved piles of bones and other magical things surmounted by reliquary heads. "Bwete" is the term used to describe the ancestor cult as well as these magical piles. Normally, the figures would be hidden by the elders or chiefs of the community. In times of crisis, they would be brought out and "consulted" in a ritualistic context. Since the Kota, like many other people in the Congo basin, don't believe in natural death, the supposed ability of fetishes, spirits and witchcraft to cause death bestow these figures with powerful forces. |
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Reliquary Figure (Mbulu-Ngulu) Kota-Mahongwe Gabon Early 19th century Wood, brass and copper For the most part, we only have the reliquary figure (Mbulu-Ngulu) and the Bwete is gone. The Mahongwe fashioned these figures at the demand of neighboring groups. |
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Common characteristics of all Mahongwe Reliquary Figures |
Nearly oval, concave, shovel-like face. Small protruding button eyes. Extensive use of thin metal strips. All Kota reliquary figures have a wood core and covered in metal. |
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Reliquary Figure (Mbulu-Ngulu) Kota-Mahongwe Gabon 19th/20th century Wood, brass, copper, iron When the French began colonizing Africa, many of these reliquary figures were more deeply hidden in wells or near other kinds of water sources. Although, some were simply abandoned when groups were escaping missionaries and forced labor. Thus, many look worn and dilapidated even though they were very well taken care of when they were first made and used. |
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Mbulu-Ngulu Reliquary Figure Kota-Obamba Gabon Early 20th century Wood, copper, brass The Obamba reliquary figures are considered the "classical" example of these types of figures. "Mbulu-Ngulu" refers to the reliquary figures specifically of the Obamba. |
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Typical features of the Obamba Mbulu-Ngulu |
Either a concave or convex face (in some cases, Janus-faced). Mounted on a support and crowned with a "sickle." Openworked lozenge pattern. Oval or egg-shaped face. Cylindrical neck, two short "legs." |
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Mbulu-Ngulu Reliquary Figures Kota-Obamba Gabon 19th/20th century Wood, brass, copper, iron |
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Mbumba Reliquary Figure Sangu Gabon 19th/20th century 1st: wood, metal, porcelain, buttons, skin, bones 2nd: wood, metal, fiber, panther teeth, bones The Sangu are closely related to the Kota and their reliquary figures can give us insight into what was in the lost bwete of the Kota. The 1st one had a cranium, a lower jaw and some middle fingers. The 2nd one didn't have any ancestor remains, but divination materials like a tortoise shell, the jaw of a child, and panther teeth. Other packages contained no human remains. The reliquary figures of the Sangu are different from the Kota in that they use less brass, the heads are smaller and the necks are much more elongated. |
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Masks Kota-Obamba Gabon 19th/20th century Wood, polychrome paint and wood, brass The Kota also had masks, but their reliquaries are much more famous. Fin-like crest. This second mask has the same extensive use of brass as in the reliquaries. |
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Mask Kota-Mahongwe Gabon or D.R. of Congo 19th/20th century Wood and pigment Famous mask believed to have inspired Picasso's famous Demoiselles d'Avignon. |
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Describe the Punu |
The Punu and related peoples (Kwele and other people from Gabon) are famous for their use of kaolin to make white masks. For them, white is the color of spirits and the dead. "Okuyi" is the term related to their typically white masks and the secret society which organizes the masquerades where the masks are danced. These masquerades are a public event in which an anonymous man dances the mask on stilts, holds whips and screams. The masks are seen as not only death, but has ideal female beauty. |
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Okuyi Mask Punu Gabon 19th/20th century Wood, dark patina, kaolin |
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Describe the main characteristics of the Okuyi masks |
Okuyi masks are meant to represent deceased women who have come back from the dead. They are identified as women by their hairstyle, the diamond-shape face and the scarification marks on the forehead and temples. The scarification marks are usually of 9 or 12 scales, believed to represent the number of primordial tribes of the Punu. Other characteristics of the Okuyi are one or multiple "hair bumps," the scale scarification marks, elongated slit eyes, and arched eyebrows. |
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Okuyi Mask Punu Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with dark patina, kaolin |
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Okuyi Mask Punu-Lumbo Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with dark patina, kaolin The Punu-Lumbo can be regarded as one of many sub-groups. The masks for this sub-groups are even more diamond-shaped and have a large crested coiffure. It mimics the hairstyles typically worn by these women at the turn of the 20th century. They were greased and finely braided into elaborate shapes, and decorated with ivory or bone hair pins. |
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Ikwara Mask Punu Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with brown and black patina There are also black Punu masks, called "night masks." They are danced at only at night and on shorter stilts than the Okyui masks. Typically seen as "training masks" for novices before they reach the "experienced" Okuyi white masks. They are seen as men or older women. Typically they are taken out to dole out justice, or dances with the masks would be organized to settle difficult arguments. Have an evil nature and were kept away from Westerners. Evidence has been found of white masks being painted black for particular rites, especially when misfortune falls on the whole group. |
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Okuyi Mask Punu sub-group Gabon Early 20th century Wood, pigment, kaolin Made by one of the many Punu sub-groups. More "Asiatic" features. The scale scarification taken away and replaced with linear scarification on the forehead and cheeks. Stark color contrast of the white and red. |
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Female Figure Mounted on a "Magical Package" Punu Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with kaolin, animal skin, fiber, cord This unusual object is stylistically Punu, but attests to connections with the Fang and the Kota. The package includes animal bone fragments, shells, plants, etc. But no ancestor bones, thus it is not a reliquary. It was used during healing consultation. |
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Bellow with Carved Head Punu Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with patina These are fairly generic among the ethnicities of the Congo basin. They are associated with blacksmiths in that they are used to blow on coals and fan the fire. Although it is a utilitarian instrument, it is fraught with sexual imagery. The opening where one would blow is associated with the vulva, the cavities where leather would have been stretched over represents testicles, while the sticks used to operate the object represents a penis. The carved head is of a beautiful female ancestor with a ringed neck, a scarified head and a crested coiffure. Appreciated by Western artists for abstract qualities. |
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Kuk Mask (Forest Spirit) Kwele Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with kaolin and black pigment The Kwele were originally from Cameroon, but were forced out by the Fang, then the Kwele displaced the Kota. They became famous for their heart-shaped white Kuk masks with horn-like projections. |
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Kuk Mask Kwele Congo-Brazzaville 19th century Wood with kaolin and dark pigment This famous Kuk mask was thought to have been collected by Brazza himself when he visited the Congo in 1880. It is typical for Kuk masks to have other masks incised on the horns. These masks made appearances in Bwete rituals, which focused on driving out sorcerers and preventing malicious acts. Bwete originally meant deriving power from the relics of the deceased to benefit the living. **Kota-Mahongwe -> Bwete means the magical piles and the ancestor cult |
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Kuk Mask (Forest Spirit) Kwele Gabon 19th/20th century Wood with kaolin and pigment Bwete rituals also involved communal consumption. Hunters and villagers would eat the forest antelope, cooked together with bark and magic plants. Like the Fang Ngil masks, the Kuk masks are modeled after the whiteness of the moon and evoke ideas of light, life and even resurrection in another world free of the fear of evil magic. |
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Dance Club Ebongo Kuyu Congo 20th century Wood and polychrome paint The Kuyu can be separated into two "totemic clans:" the panther in the west and the snake of the east. Each one had their own secret society and named their leader after the ancestral founder of the clan, one of the two animals. Ebongo, the divine serpent, is danced in the so-called Kebe-Kebe dance, an initiation for young boys. The Ebongo head is mounted on a staff and held up high above the dancer's head, who is completely covered by a long costume. The head is then plugged into a figure, which is similarly decorated as the head. The head is rather large, has flattened facial features. It would have been elaborately decorated with feathers. The face is whitened, alluding to death, and scarification marks are painted on in polychrome paint. It has a bonnet-like coiffure. It has a tube-like arm that bends and touches its cheek. |
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Dance Club with Animal Head Crest Kuyu Congo 20th century Wood with polychrome paint This is an elaborate example of the Kuyu Dance Clubs, showing the fluid transition from the Dance Clubs to the ancestral figures. |
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Male Ancestor Figure Kuyu Congo 19th/20th century Wood with patina and kaolin The difference between the ancestor figures and the clubs is that the clubs are detachable from the body. This one is highly decorated. It has three distinct faces, confronting the occult forces of life. Its coiffure is decorated like cowrie shells. The extensive scarification marks on the abdomen give symbolic information about its lineage/descent. These types of objects were known to have belonged to the female division of the panther clan. |
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Zoomorphic Figure Angola 750-850 CE Wood and pigment Found in an ancient river bed of the Liavela River, in the southernmost part of Chokwe territory. Nothing is known about the culture that produced it, but it is believed to be the most ancient wood artifact of central Africa. It dates from about the time of the Bantu migration into the Congo. Most people in the Congo basin are Bantu speakers. |
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Biteki Power Figure Teke Congo 19th/20th century Wood with patina, mirror fragments, "magical materials" The Teke are known for their magical or power figures. They are patrons for hunting and protect against evil spirits and diseases. The magical materials are made for the specific needs of the person in question. They are dispensed in a cylindrical package, called a Bilongo, into the abdomen of the Biteki. For the Teke, magical wisdom can be swallowed and stored in the stomach. The package would contain the placenta of a male child, among other "magical" ingredients. This is one type of Biteki. |
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Biteki Power Statue Teke Congo 19th/20th century Wood, patina, mirror fragments, "magical" materials This is the second type of Biteki. The package is filled with a clay-like substance and resin and wrapped around the figure. The package can be filled with relics of ancestors, like nail clippings and hair. |
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Common characteristics of Biteki/Congo fetishes |
Shiny patina from oil, trapezoidal beard, magical packages deposited in the abdomen, use of mirror fragments |
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Kidumu Mask Teke-Tsaayi Congo 19th/20th century Wood, patina, kaolin, feathers, fabric The Tsaayi sub-group of the Teke are the only ones who make masks associated with the Kidumu society. The patterns on the masks refer to secret knowledge of sorcery, counter sorcery and magic. The upper half of the disk always protrudes over the lower half of the disk. |
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Kidumu Mask Tsaayi-Teke Congo 19th/20th century Wood, patina, kaolin, feathers, fabric The patterns may also make esoteric references to the sky, water, rainbows, earth, Tsaayi migration, the hidden presence of ancestors, women, crocodiles, metallurgy and nature spirits. |
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More ethnicities of the Congo |
Kongo, Vili, Yombe, Kuba, Luba, Salampasu, Ndengese, Mangbetu |
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Most common items exported from Congo |
Ivory tusks, throwing knives and ritual swords. Exported and collected by Europeans until the mid 20th century. The Kuba's material wealth came from their ability to control ivory trade. |
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Nkisi (pl. Minkisi) Kongo Congo 19th century Wood, shells, seeds, leather, fabric, fiber, husks, fur, glass, horn and earthenware The Kongo are most famously known for their Minkisi and nail fetishes. Nkisi means "medicine of God." The Minkisi are used for traditional healing and therapy as well as for divining. It is not clear which Nkisi is used for what purpose. The shell refers to the water from which the spirit emerged, the shell and the nuts combined command the spirit to tell the future, while a bell invokes the spirit. The pointed coiffure alludes to a rooster, symbolizing command. The kneeling position with the hands on the thighs represents submission to the needs of the people. These figures operate in a mode of humility and prayer. |
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Nganga |
"Doctor" or diviner. Defend the living against witchcraft. |
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Bilongo |
Refers to the "magical package" as well as a type of contract between the Nganga and the spirits that were summoned during the making of the package and the sculpting of the Nkisi. |
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Nkisi Kongo Congo 19th century Wood, metal, plant fibers, glass, hide, resin The Minkisi have a duality of attacking and defending. They are reliquaries for the soul which defend people and communities from illness and wreck havoc on their enemies. They can come in many forms such as baskets, pottery and instruments. Prayer, songs, drums and dancing accompany rituals with the Minkisi. The mirrors are embedded in Minkisi to allude to their powers of clairvoyance. This one exhibits the type of neck brace a Nganga would give to someone with a broken neck. |
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Nkisi Vili Congo 19th century Wood, pigment, glass, metal, panther teeth This Nkisi has large eyes which parallel the mirror embedded in the stomach and speak to its power of clairvoyance. The mirror in the belly allow a diviner to see witches approaching from all angles and serves as a kind of compass to seek out evil. The large, open eyes symbolize danger and that the guilty party should beware. |
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Tumba Funerary Statue Kongo or Yombe Congo 19th century Wood, kaolin, pigment This tumba statue contrasts with the wide-eyed Nkisi. Its eyes are half closed to symbolize serenity and the sunset. It once guarded a cemetery. The statues of the Vili, Yombe and Kongo show a fluid transition between these groups culturally and stylistically. |
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Nkisi Vili Congo 19th century Wood, pigement, glass, metal, plant fibers, raffia, wickerwork, textile, hide, nails The mirror of this Nkisi is mnemonically wrapped with raffia fiber, perhaps to record what the Nganga saw in the mirror. Every piece has symbolic meaning. For example, the feathers command the figure to swoop down on the roof of the house of an enemy like a hawk. The legs are wrapped in hunter's net, perhaps to command the figure to similarly capture enemies, etc. Objects and "medicine" added to Nkisi are spirit-imbued in some way or contain visual or verbal puns significant to the figure's purpose. |
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Mnemonic |
Materials put together to convey ideas/tell a story. In place of writing. |
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Nkisi Nkondi Healing and Oath Taking Figure Vili or Kongo Congo 19th century Wood, iron, fabric This is an example of a Nkondi, the famous "nail fetishes." It holds a trapezoidal blade used for cutting through palm trees to get to the flower. Hence, it symbolizes cutting through conflict to get to the truth. Some have their tongue sticking out or a coil around the blade to remind the viewer of its ability to punish and destroy. Despite its fierce appearance, these Nkondi statues were about communal healing, reconciliation and curing of diseases. |
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Nkondi Tatu Yombe Congo 19th century Wood, iron, pigment The Nkondi figures had many functions, but they were foremost for oath swearing. The practicing of "nailing" to seal moral oaths is still practiced in Congo today. The aggressive stance and the weapon usually held by the Nkondi assures the protection of the client from the enemy while the Nkondi works out a problem. A peace treaty between feuding villages can be rendered by licking a knife or a blade and hammering it into the Nkondi and swearing an oath. |
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Nkisi Nkondi Kongo Congo 19th century Wood, iron, fabric, resin, porcelain Nkondi figures also came in the form of animals like dogs or monkeys. This dog is Janus-faced because everything is about duality. It holds in its teeth red and white fabric to symbolize dangers being caught. It may also hold a particular stalk in its mouth to make in invisible to enemies while it travels in the other world. A cluster of nails represents heavy issues, like murder. The nails are reflected on both sides to show that it takes the collaboration of the living and the dead to solve an issue. |
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Reliquary Statue Kongo-Solongo Congo 19th/20th century Wood with red patina, metal, fiber, seeds This statue marks the transition, geographically and stylistically, between Congo and Angola. Its triangular face and helmet-like coiffure is attributed to the style of the Chokwe of Angola. It holds a small amount of "magic materials," a feature of the Kongo of Congo. |
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Mask of Ancestor Spirit Yombe or Kongo Congo 19th/20th century Wood, kaolin, pigments, nails, animal skin This is a typical example of a Kongo or Yombe mask reserved for diviners or administrators of rituals. They were usually dark, but painted white when meant to represent deceased ancestors. The Kongo believed in the separation of the spirit and the body after death, but they also believed in Nganga persons, or people who had an exceptional connection to spirits and the dead. These people were separated into two initiation societies, diviners and healers. When they wore these masks, it was believed that their souls became one with the dead ancestor and that they took part in their wisdom and power. |
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St. Anthony/Crucifix Kongo Congo 16th to 19th century Wood/copper In the 1400s, the kind of the Kongo converted to Christianity and it became the state religion under his heirs. Then, another wave of Christianity came brutally with the Portuguese missionaries. St. Anthony, however, was quite popular in the Congo in the 17th century. By the 19th century, most of the meaning of these Christian images of the ancient Kongo kingdom was lost or re-purposed. For example, the crucifix may be the symbol of a place where the living and the dead meet. |
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Explain the Kuba royal court |
The Kuba have a centuries-old kingdom, made up of a handful of ethnicities, each with their own chief. The Kuba royal court is organized hierarchically and the king has advisers and officials who advise him and balance his power. The outlying Kuba chiefdoms are largely autonomous, but are governed on a model based on the royal court, or the capital. The source of the Kuba's material wealth was ivory trade. |
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Ndop Figure Kuba Congo 19th/20th century Wood with patina, metal The Ndop figures are idealized representations of the nyim of the Kuba. They sit cross-legged with a calm, aloof expression. Although there are many similarities between them, Ndop figures can be distinguished by the objects placed in front of them. Items to signify royalty include the two belts, arm bands, royal headdress and a sword in the left hand. The intention of the Ndop remains open-ended since there is no analogous sculptural tradition in the Kuba. |
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Ngaady aMwaash Kuba Congo Before 1930 Wood, polychrome paint, cowrie shells, beads The Kuba have a unique polychrome paint masking tradition which is closely linked to court culture, chiefs, title holders, etc. Of the triad of royal masks, Ngaady aMwaash represents the ideal female beauty. She is the sister-wife of the first Kuba king, from whom all Kuba royalty trace their lineage. |
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Ngaady aMwaash Kuba Congo Before 1930 Wood, pigment, cowrie shells, beads The vertical lines under the eyes represent tears and allude to the hardships of women. They are also appropriate for the funerary context in which these masks are also used. The strip of beads over the mouth alludes to commanding silence or suffering in silence. The lozenge patterns are a tell-tale sign of Kuba arts. |
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Bwoom Mask Kuba Congo 19th/20th century Wood, beads, cowrie shells, leather, copper sheets, polychrome paint Bwoom is the brother of Mwaash aMbooy, the brother and husband of Ngaady aMwaash. Legend holds that they once fought for Ngaady aMwaash's favor. The Bwoom mask, although part of the royal triad, is typically seen as a commoner, a prince or a pygmy. It is seen as a subversive element that opposed the king. In dances, when these two masks meet, they are thought to play out the origin myth of the Kuba and other events of Kuba history. |
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nyim |
Kuba king |
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Nsheng |
capitol of Kuba kingdom |
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Mwaash aMbooy Mask Kuba Congo Before 1930 Wood with polychrome paint, pearls, beads, cowrie, monkey fur, fabric This is the quintessential emblem of Kuba royalty. Reserved for the nyim in Nsheng as well as other leaders in the Kuba cheifdoms. The nyim wears it at dances among the assembled community on the day of his installment. It kept safeguarded until the king/cheif's death, when it is brought out among other emblems at his burial. |
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Mwaash aMbooy Mask and Costume Kuba Congo 20th century Wood with polychrome paint, fabric, shells, beads, feathers, leopard fur, sheep hair, fiber, metal The Mwaash aMbooy mask is never seen alone. It is part of a full-body outfit, comprising of a grand fan made of eagle feathers and the whole thing is laden with beads and shells. |
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Mukenga Mask Kuba Congo 19th/20th century Wood with pigment, shells, fiber, feathers, bone, cotton, leather The Mukenga mask is a regional variant of the Mwaash aMbooy mask. It is of similar form and materials, but instead of a fan of eagle feathers on top, it has a long projection like an elephant trunk with a tuft of red feathers on the end. |
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Helmet Mask of a Ram |
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Nature Spirit Mask |
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Royal Drum Kuba Congo 20th century Wood, fabric, metal, beads, shells, hide, pigments An example of a prestige object of the Kuba royal court. We can see some of the same patterns as seen in the royal masks. These were kept in the treasury or owned by the numerous title holders of the court. They were brought out during special occasions and complemented the elaborate dress of the nyim. Since their introduction by Europeans in the 19th century, glass beads have become an integral part of Kuba court crafts. |
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Royal Basket Kuba Congo 20th century Wood, beads, shells, fiber, cloth, leopard skin Nyim had two ceremonial baskets - one that he passed down to his successor, and one that he was buried with. |
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Cloth Kuba Congo Late 20th century Raffia, barkcloth |
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Royal Dress Kuba Congo Late 20th century Raffia dyed red The Kuba are also well-known for their textiles, especially the geometric weaving and embroidery. This is a living tradition in that cloth for domestic consumption as well as export are still made to the present. Cloths that were highly embroidered would have been part of the class of prestige objects. The geometric patterns are like the ones seen on Kuba buildings. Making these cloths is a collective effort. The men gather the materials and weave, and the women embroider. Men make clothes for men and women make clothes for women. This cloth would have been worn by a man, wrapped around the body and it is dyed red to indicate that it would have been worn by royalty. |
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Isikimanji Figure Ndengese Congo 19th/20th century Wood with patina It is possible that the Ndengese preceded the presence of the Kuba because when a new Kuba chief is installed, emissaries must go to the Ndengese territory and collect sacred earth for ceremonies. And they share a common mythological founder, the god Woot. Not much art comes from the Ndengese other than these Isikimanji figures. They represent the power of kingship passed down to new kings upon their ascension. The gesture of the hands over the abdomen is one of guardianship to show the king's common origin with his subjects, from whom he expects cooperation. His abdomen is highly engraved with symbolic patterns. The pointed headdress represents the highest status, signifies power and secrecy. |
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Attributed to "Master of Buli" Caryatid Stool Luba Congo 19th century Wood and pigment The Luba have a similarly sophisticated court culture to the Kuba. The privilege to sit during ceremonies and religious events was reserved for the highest ranking people. The stools clarify the complex hierarchy of seating privileges. The royal residence in which the king lived was called "the seat of power" and his stool, which served as his throne, was not necessarily functional but served as a receptacle for his soul. When he died, he is reincarnated in the female spirit depicted. She has a typical Luba hairdo, scarification marks and is the ideal female beauty. |
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Lukasa Mnemonic Plaque of Luba History Luba Congo 19th/20th century Wood, pearls, glass, metal Lukasa is the highest form of initiation, reserved only for some who belonged to the three branches of Luba royalty - the kings, the diviners and the "men of memory." Lukasa refers to the initiation as well as the this object, kept by initiates. It is a memory aid used during initiation to recall a complex body of knowledge such as the legendary origin story of the royal lineage, the characters involved, rituals, ceremonies, seat arrangements, etc. It is a visual record in absence of writing. The placement, size and color of pearls are all significant. For example, some characters in the origin story are always represented by the same colors. |
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Kifwebe Mask Luba Congo 20th century Wood with pigment The Luba share the tradition of Kifwebe masks with the neighboring Songye. The Luba Kiwebe masks are rounded and not gendered, whereas the Songye Kifwebe masks are elongated and have male and female versions. The Luba claim that the Kifwebe masks originated with the Songye, while the Songye claim that they originated with the Luba. They are the most iconic masks from Africa. Their hallmark features include the striation patterns highlighted by polychrome paint and the box-like mouths. The striations may be representative of animals with stripes. It is not known why or how these masks were used, although the Luba Kifwebe masks may have been used for funerary purposes. |
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Male Kifwebe (pl. Bifwebe) Mask Songye Congo 19th century Wood, pigment, fiber Songye political organization relies on the power of the cheif, a sacred and benevolent figure who enjoys magical-political powers. He is linked to two secret societies - one that practices witchcraft and sorcery and one that controls the making of the Bifwebe. The Bifwebe serve many functions. They encourage female fertility, protect against evil, accompany installment and death of important title holders, as well as the rituals of the masking society itself. The society that manufactures these masks is a secret "educational" society that helps maintain power of the rulers. All secret societies play a role in the power struggle over the Songye territory. Male Bifwebe can be distinguished by the head crest. |
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Male Kifwebe Masks Songye Congo 19th century Wood, polychrome pigment |
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Female Kifwebe Mask Songye Congo 19th century Wood with pigment The female masks lack the head crest. The Bifwebe masks are many time anthropozoomorhpic, but do not represent or embody any person or spirit. Despite their political and healing functions, they are also used for entertainment. Performances are accompanied by energetic movement and strange noises. The colors are symbolic. White = moon, light, peace and purity. Red = blood, fire, power, courage and also magic and danger. The female Bifwebe masks typically symbol positive forces. They appear at night dances, lunar ceremonies, at installations of new chiefs or funerals of important persons. |
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Nkisi Power Figure Songye Congo 19th century Wood, cowrie, metal, tacks, lizard skin, copper, fur The Nkisi power figures of the Songye are related to the Nkisi power figures of the Kongo. They hold magical ingredients in the head or abdomen. The makers of the figures work closely with nganga, who provide knowledge of magic. They respond to the needs of the individual who commissioned it. They are made in a large context for the community and in smaller contexts for individuals. The main purpose is to protect a secret. Cowrie shells and tacks, objects of power, draw attention to the head. There are two types of magical ingredients used for the packages - materials of aggressive animals and hair and nails from the user, who associates with the affects of the Nkisi. |
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Nkisi Power Figure Songye Congo 19th century Wood, iron, tooth, copper, fiber The bulbous head tappering down to the chin and the elongated, ringed neck are characteristics of the Songye. These were typically commissioned when a person faced impending danger like bad signs from a dream, during conflict or confrontation, or at the event of deformations like a miscarriage. Then, after a pre-determined period of time, the Nkisi figures were forgotten or discarded. |
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Mangbetu |
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Mangbetu |
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Mangbetu |
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Chibinda Ilunga Chokwe Angola 19th century Wood, cotton textile, hair, plant fiber Chibinda Ilunga is the legendary hunter, cultural hero and founder of the lineage from which the Chokwe derive. He introduced new hunting techniques (elephants), new forms of magic, and political practices and rituals which greatly influenced Chokwe art. To the Chokwe, he is omnipotent and omnipresent. |
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Chibinda Ilunga Chokwe Angola 19th/20th century Wood with patina Attributes include a stately headdress/chief hat, small figures at his feet that represent spirits or ancestors, hunting equipment in his hands or belt such as knife, hatchet, gun powder horn, Western rifle. This is known as the "homeland" style of the Chokwe because it pre-dates modern migration movements. |
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Chibinda Ilunga Chokwe Angola 19th/20th century Wood with patina, hair, glass beads This royal figure is possibly Chibinda Ilunga. He sits in a chair and claps his hands in welcome, a response to a greeting, or to indicate that something important has just been reported to him. The large hands refer to skill and fortitude during his rule. Hair used for these objects was typically real human hair. |
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Female Figure |
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Scepter |
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Chief's Chair Chokwe Angola 19th/20th century Wood, leather, tacks Chairs were unknown to Africa before contact with the Europeans. Stools however were prestigious objects of the king. Artists made chairs off of Europeans models and they became one of the most prestigious objects of the chief or king. They carved figure groups that depict how the benevolence of the king aids daily life - fertility, child bearing, masquerades, music making, initiations, etc. |
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Divination Basket |
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Whistles |
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Describe Mukanda initiation |
The mukanda initiation is a traditional initiation practiced by many groups in the Angola and Congo area. It is for boys 8-12 years old and lasts about 1-2 years. Parents pay for them to be taken to camps for the initiation. Through mukanda, they are circumcised, scarification, they learn about hunting, mask and craft making, history and traditions, they dance the masks they make and receive sex education and a symbolic death and rebirth. The masks made during initiation represent personalities of ancestors. Many are burned along with the camp at the end of mukanda, but the wooden ones are kept. |
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Chihongo Face Mask Chokwe Congo or Angola 19th/20th century Wood, patina, feathers, metal, glass beads The Chihongo masks are the most prestigious masks of the Chokwe and reserved only for the chief. It gives us insight into Chokwe cosmology and is thought to incarnate ancestors. The Chihongo masks incarnate all male ancestors and is the symbol of power and wealth. They are only worn by the chief, his sons, or someone directly under his authority. They are danced at the mukanda of the cheif's sons or male relatives or when there is a ceremony celebrating the royal lineage. Characteristics include a broad mouth, a disk shaped beard, teeth filed to point, protruding slit "coffee bean" eyes, a bulging forehead, scarification marks under the eyes to represent tears. The cross tattoo is a hallmark of Chokwe art. They also have a pronounced headdress, presumed to indicate a chief. |
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Chihongo Mask Chokwe Angola or Congo 19th/20th century Raffia, cane, cloth/wood, metal, raffia Chokwe masks were not always made with wood. The dance associated with them involved very rapid hip movements. |
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Pwo Mask Chokwe Angola or Congo 19th/20th century Wood, patina, fiber, metal, cane sticks Whereas the Chihongo masks are royal and represent males, the Pwo masks may be owned by commoners and represent females. Although, they are danced only by males. In the mukanda, they are danced to represent typical female roles, like preparing food. They can also be used in sexually charged dances. They can be of two types - an older woman and a younger female. It is typically said that the one with less scarification marks is the younger female. The scarification marks include the tears under the eyes (sorrows of women), the cross on the forehead (Chokwe identification), and phallic imagery. Represent idealized female beauty. |
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Chikunza Mask Chokwe Angola or Congo 19th/20th century Wood, fiber, raffia, resin The Chikunza masks are associated with quarrels and aggression. Nevertheless, they are seen to be protectors of the initiation camp. They keep intruders out and evil things away. In reality, the players who sport these masks act mostly passive and banter sometimes. The hallmark characteristic is the superstructure, which references an antelope horn, and is valuable to diviners because it is believed to be a potent "medicine." |
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Kalelwa Mask Chokwe Angola or Congo 19th/20th century Cane, fibers, resin, pigment The frame for the crests are made with cane and plant fibers. Embedded with red fabric. Have a broad mouth and open slit eyes. Disk-like beard. The most distinguished feature is the spine-like protrusion on the top of the head, a characteristic these masks share with masks of neighbors to the North, the Yaka and Nkanu. Like the Chikunza masks, the purpose of these masks is to protect the initiation camp and drive out evil forces and witchcraft. During the Mukanda, these masks chase women to dramatize tension of gender roles. But closer to graduation of the initiates, tensions calm and these characters collaborate with women to prepare for graduation. |
