Standing female figure
D. R. Congo, Ubangi, Bwaka (Ngbaka) / Ngbandi
not available anymore
Provenance
Jean-Marc Desaive, Soumagne, BelgiumSrdjan Sremac, The Hague, The Netherlands
Size
H: 51 cm
H: 20.1 inch
Description
wood, leather, rest., base
Probably a representation of “nabo”, the sister-wife of “seto”. The two figures are usually found in pairs and represent the promordial ancestral couple.
According to a report of the colonial official A. Ronse from the 1930s, “seto” and “nabo” were placed in the houses of the Ngbaka, where they received daily offerings.
They functioned as guardians of the owners and their families and drove away the evil spirits that caused sickness and death, made crops fail and hunts go badly and brought about miscarriages. They were also asked for help with special concerns, such as illness or infertility.