Bakongo Yombe Maternity Statue 10.75″ on Base – DRC – African Art

$225.00

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This Bakongo Yombe statue features a beautiful female figure sitting cross-legged with a child in her lap. The statue has a shiny patina and is attached to a custom base for easy display.  The statue measures 9 inches tall, 10.75 inches including base, and weighs 2 pounds. There is some cracking, scuffing and wear and tear – please inspect photos.

Type of Object

Figure, statue

Country of Origin

DR Congo

Ethnicity

Yombe/Bakongo

Material

Wood, Pigment

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height

9" figure | 10.75" including base

Width

5"

Depth

4"

Weight

2 lbs

Overall Condition

Some cracking, scuffing and general wear and tear throughout.

Tribe Information

About the Bakongo People

Bakongo people are a matriarchal society who values their independence. They are the largest tribe in the Democratic Republic of Congo and have considerable populations in neighboring countries as well. The total population of the tribe was last estimated to be around 18 million world wide.

With such a vast population of people, their belief system is almost as so. For the most part, the majority of Bakongo people believe in a creator god and deities. When the Portuguese inserted themselves in the area in the 15the century, they used that belief system to convince the Bakongo that Christianity was the same thing. Missionaries would twist Bakongo language to push Christianity among the people, they would take words such as “nkisi” to mean “holy” as they were teaching their religion. Today, a mixture of traditional religion and Christianity is practiced. Both churches and shrines have been maintained.
Read more about the Bakongo here.

About the Yombe People

“Originally, the Kongo kingdom comprised of separate tribes – the Vili, the Yombe, the Beembe, the Bwende and the Woyo, among others were led by a king, the Ntotela, who was elected by a council of governors. The Ntotela controlled the nominations for official positions at court and in the provinces. The main economic resources of the empire were ivory, copper and the slave trade.
The 300,00 Yombe people are artistically prolific. Their maternity figures nail and mirror fetishes have typical shoulder scafifications and a high pointed or rounded coiffure incised with geometric motifs. Mirror and nail fetishes have aggressive expression characterized by an open mouth usually showing filed teeth.”

Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.

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