Male ancestor figure "singiti" · D. R. Congo, Hemba · ID: 3044251
Description
wood, base
Ancestor figures, called “singiti”, represent famous warriors, clan founders or local chiefs, which are put in small huts and venerated. Noble families of the eastern savannahs of the Democatic Republic of Congo adopted the practice of sculpting images of their ancestors, thus preserving the memory of their ancestors and constituting a genealogical chart of their lineage. Through this custom they reinforced the authority of the ancestral tradition and affirmed their ownership of the ground.
The object Male ancestor figure “singiti” with the object ID 3044251 was last part of the auction 89th Tribal Art Auction at July 7, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 374.
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Comparing literature
Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 300
Publications
AHDRC: 0153755