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Embellished Songye Statue 25″ – DR Congo – African Art

Original price was: $160.00.Current price is: $40.00.

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SKU: 1011894 Categories: ,
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This statue was hand-carved in the style of the Songye people of DRC. The face of the statue is embellished with thin sheet metal and cowrie shells for eyes. He measures 25 inches tall and weighs 10.5 pounds. There is some wood deterioration on the back side of the left arm along with cracking, scuffing and wear and tear throughout – please inspect photos.

Type of Object

Figure, statue

Country of Origin

DR Congo

Ethnicity

Songye

Material

Wood, pigment, sheet metal and cowrie shells

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

25"

Width (Inches)

7"

Depth (Inches)

6"

Weight (Pounds)

10.5 lbs

Overall Condition

Damage to left arm. Cracking, scuffing and wear and tear throughout

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Tribe Information

About the Songye People

“During the 16th century, the Songye migrated from the Shaba area, which is now the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), and settled on the left bank of the Lualaba River, on a savannah and forest-covered plateau. Divided into numerous sub-groups, the 150,000 Songye people are governed by a central chief, the Yakitenge, whose role demands that he obey special restrictive laws such as not showing grief, not drinking in public and not shaking hands with men. In addition, local rulers, the Sultani Ya Muti, distribute plots of land to their villagers and an influential secret society, Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe, counterbalances their power. Unlike their neighbors, the Luba, the Songye tribe is a patriarchal society in which agriculture is central to the economy.”

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