NGBAKA FEMALE FIGURE

Estate Items > Ethnography Dealer: African Tribal Gallery Contact: George Waterhouse - Email Dealer
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Description: NGBAKA FEMALE FIGURE D.R. Congo a fine female figure with red, white and black pigment rich aged patina. This is Nabo. The Ngbandi and Ngbaka live in an area bounded by the Ubangi and Zaire River systems. The Ngbaka moved into the area inhabited by the Ngbandi and as a result both groups share sculpture forms and the details of scarification often leads to some confusion as to the origin of their masks. The NgBaka number approximately 400,000 and live along the northwest border of the D.R.C. just south of the Ubangi River. They are mainly subsistence farmers, raising manioc and maize, and also chickens and goats for eggs and milk. The traditional game in their area has essentially been hunted to extinction, so they depend on fishing for protein. The NgBaka believe in a supreme deity, Gbonboso, whose message was brought to Earth by two spirit messengers Seto and Nabo who are recognized as the original ancestors of the NgBaka people. Their main artistic output is the spirit ancestor statues which are thought to represent Seto and Nabo. Their masks, used for ceremonial and agricultural purposes, usually have a unique set of deep notches running down the nose, as do many of their statues. Their art, like much of the creative output from the NgBandi region, is poorly understood even today. Though both groups use masks they are less numerous than among Congo peoples and equally not fully described. Masks are known as Dagara and are used during similar initiation ceremonies for girls known as Ganza or Gaza. They also appear during boys initiations. These masks are known by the heavy ridge of scarification reaching from the hairline across the forehead ending more than half-way down the nose. There are marks around the eyes and between the eyes and the ear. H. 59cm. (23.23”).

Status: No Longer Available	Reference#: NBK20018
Condition: Excellent	Year: Unknown
Country: D.R. Congo	Maker: Unknown
Height: 23.23 in. (59.00 cm)
Title: NGBAKA FEMALE FIGURE
Materials: Wood	Type: Statue

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