“North of the Kuba kingdom, across the Sankuru River, the 12,000 Dengese people claim to be the indigenous population of the area. Their King, known as the Etoshi, reigns over local chiefs, who are assisted by noble men. Powerful groups such as the blacksmith, hunting and witchcraft societies counterbalance the political power of the chiefs. Dengese artists carved legless figures of the king which were believed to embody his power. A typical flared coiffure and geometric body scarifications appear on cephalomorphic scepters and drinking cups.”

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