Reliquary statue (Mahongwe).
Wood and copper, height: 43.2 cm.
Private collection.
This statue represents the Mahongwe artists’ ability to create
stylised and abstract human representations. Found atop a
reliquary box, the shiny appearance of this statue, meant to
frighten potential enemies, is also covered with copper wires.
Mbulu ngulureliquary figure (Kota).
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Wood, brass, copper, height: 54 cm.
Private collection.South of Gabon, the Kota Ndassa, from western Congo-
Brazzaville, designed their reliquaries similarly to but with notable
differences from those of the Obamba. While the face is still oval
and stylised two dimensionally, it is more elongated and has a
tetrahedral nose with large cabochon eyes. Rather than ascending,
the top of the hat forms a sort of heart with the ascension of the
spread shells. “Duck tail” pendants decorate the base and the face
plates are marked with repoussé streaks, which is actually more
imitative of versions from the north. These mbulu nguluserve the
same ritual use as all other ancestral figures of the Kota.