Zemanek-Münster
Rare ancestor figure "gheonga"
Rare ancestor figure "gheonga" 2/6 Rare ancestor figure "gheonga" 3/6 Rare ancestor figure "gheonga" 4/6 Rare ancestor figure "gheonga" 5/6 Rare ancestor figure "gheonga" 6/6
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Lot 243
90.I Tribal Art and 90.II Contemporary Native American Art

Rare ancestor figure "gheonga"

Gabon, Tsogho/ Sango
not available anymore
Provenance
Christie’s, Paris, 15 Juin 2002, lot 214
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 7 September 2013, lot 304
Private Collection, Munich, Germany
Size
H: 65 cm
H: 25.6 inch

Description

wood, black and white pigment, rep.

Sculpture of the Tsogho is invariably associated with initiation societies, at which the “bwiti” society has top priority. The “bwiti” cult is spread all over the whole of Central Gabon. “Bwiti” has no initiation rites in classical meaning, but an initiation through taking “iboga”, a hallucinogenic plant.

The statuettes were kept in the men’s house, together with all the other objects which were needed for the “bwiti” cult. At funeral rites or rites held in favour of a good harvest the statues were displayed inside the men’s house.

Africa
Figures

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