Chief figure

Description

wood, dark brown patina, “mutwe wa kayanda” headdress, min. dam., crack backside, slight traces of abrasion, socle;
in Chokwe society chiefs are regarded as the representatives of God on earth, and as the intermediaries between the world of humans and the realm of ancestral and wilderness spirits that affect humans and their environments. The chief, or “mwanangana” is literally the owner of the land, the individual who is ultimately responsible for the well-being, success, fertility, and continuity of his people.