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Kota Metal-Plated Reliquary Statue 24.25″ – Gabon – African Art

$206.50

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SKU: 1016815 Categories: , ,
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This statue was created in the style of the Kota people of Gabon. Figures like these are known as reliquary and are used to look over and guard the bones of the deceased. This statue measures 24.25 inches tall and weighs 3.5 pounds. The statue does not stand on it’s own. A stand can be added for an additional charge.

Type of Object

Figure, statue

Country of Origin

Gabon

Ethnicity

Kota

Material

Wood, pigment and metal

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

24.25"

Width (Inches)

10"

Depth (Inches)

2"

Weight (Pounds)

3.5 lbs

Overall Condition

Figure does not stand on own. Some cracking and wear and tear

Tribe Information

About the Kota People

“Living on the eastern side of Gabon, on the frontier with the Republic of Congo, the Kota people comprise a number of small tribes such as the Mahongwe, the Sango, the Obamba and the Shamaye, who all practice similar ceremonies. It is though they migrated southwards during the 18th century and settled in the upper valley of the Ogooué River, in a forest environment. Their main resources come mostly from hunting and agriculture.
Historically, the Kota left their dead unburied in the forest, far from the village. Under the influence of neighboring tribes, they began to bury their dead. Chiefs were always buried, but often their bones (especially their skull) were later exhumed and placed with magical objects (shells, seeds, fruits) in a bark box or a basket called a Bwete, in which a carved figure was inserted.
These reliquary baskets were kept for generations, but during the 20th century, when religious beliefs changed, they were abandoned or even destroyed. Between 1940 and 1964, a movement referred to as the ‘culte des demoiselles’ was responsible for the destruction of most of these traditional objects. This movement was based on the idea that mimicking Western values and lifestyles, as well as abandoning the old cults and idols, would help them to gain what they perceived as western power.”

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

Additional Information

About Kota Figures

“Kota figures have an oval face, curved coiffure and lateral flanges ending in horizontal line.”