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Bwami Initiation Statue, Lega People, early 20th Century

$1,800
£1,373.45
€1,562.40
CA$2,527.78
A$2,766.35
CHF 1,461.78
MX$33,018.27
NOK 18,654.08
SEK 17,060.67
DKK 11,670.32

About the Item

The smooth, dark patina of this small, carefully shaped, male, wooden initiation statue from the early 20th century, by the Lega people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflects the physical and moral beauty to which initiates aspire. Members of Lega society, who live in small autonomous villages in the forests, learn morals, skills and wisdom by joining a semi-secret initiatory society known as ‘Bwami’, in which figurines such as this are used alongside ritual, dance, song and proverbs to impart lessons appropriate to the different levels of Bwami to which they belong. These human figurines in particular would be closely connected to a proverb in Lega society, the faces often abstracted and decoratively whitened with the white silicate clay ‘Kaolin’, as this one has been.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12 in (30.48 cm)Width: 4 in (10.16 cm)Depth: 3.75 in (9.53 cm)
  • Style:
    Tribal (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Wood
  • Place of Origin:
    Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  • Period:
    1910-1919
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1910s
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    CA, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2102343949722

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