Anthropomorphic harp "ngombi"
Gabon, Fang
not available anymore
Provenance
Gerd Hanebeck, Wuppertal, GermanySize
H: 44,5 cm
H: 17.5 inch
Description
wood, oily dark brown patina in some areas, animal skin, complete with strings and wood pegs
During the early 1900s in response to the rise of Western religions, the “bieri” ancestor cult of the Fang groupe gave birth to a revivalist religion called “bwiti”. Harp lutes came to represent the balance between men and women, and between humankind and the supernatural. Harp music is perceived to be the female voice of pity and comfort that keeps foreign evils at bay so that people can communicate with their ancestors.
Comparing literature
Kubik, Gerhard et. al., Afrikanische Musikinstrumente, Berlin 2014, p. 243Publications
AHDRC: 0153548