Head sculpture of the "dyo" - snake cult ·  D. R. Congo, Kuyu · ID: 3049686

Description

wood, pigments, base

According to records kept by the French colonial administrator Poupon (1918/19), the Kuyu were divided into two groups: the western group traditionally followed the teachings of the Panther, while the eastern Kuyu revered the serpent “djo” as their mythical ancestor.

The “dyo” ceremony was performed to reactivate the link between the Kuyus identity and their myth of origins. Using mime, songs and dances, skilful “staging” recalled how “dyo” the serpent created “ebongo” and “ebongo” created the “eouya”, who were already humans. During the “kébé kébé” dances, “diokou”, the father, and “ebotita”, the mother, appear - extraordinary intermediary entities, half snake, half human - the primordial couple of the Kuyu.

A.- M. Bénézech conducted very extensive studies on Kuyu head sculptures. She classifies a very similarly designed head, which also bears a crocodile on its head, as a “diokou”, the father or husband (Bénézech, 2021, pl. 31).

The object Head sculpture of the “dyo” - snake cult with the object ID 3049686 was last part of the auction Sale 100 at April 15, 2023 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 73 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,800.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.

Comparing literature

Bénézech, Anne-Marie, Kuyu, Milan 2021, p. 29 ff. Anne-Marie Bénézech, "So-called Kuyu Carvings", in: African Arts, November 1988, Vol. XXII, No 1, p. 52-59 Anne-Marie Bénézech, "The deferred Discovery of Kuyu Art, in: Tribal Art Magazine, No 83, Spring 2017, p. 92-107

Publications

"Afrique Noire, Sculptures des Collections Privées Suisses", La Chaux-de-Fonds1971, No. 70

AHDRC: 0013306

Exhibition

La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland: "Afrique Noire. Sculptures des Collections Privées Suisses", Musée des Beaux-Arts, 27 March - 6 June 1971