Standing female figure "kambei" ·  Sierra Leone, Limba/Mende · ID: 3038255

Description

wood, matt shiny reddish brown patina, traces of black paint, overlong neck carved with rings, diamond-shaped skin scarifications on back and belly, grooved hairdo, slightly dam., missing parts (both foot tips), cracks (right side of the head, upper part of the body, back), abrasion of paint, base;
the Mende have an association called “njayei”, which keeps pairs of figures, male and female, known as “lomba” and “kambei” respectively. Such figures are said to represent both deceased members of the association and, in some sense, the associations ancestral spirits, possibly the original founders of the local chapter.

The object Standing female figure “kambei” with the object ID 3038255 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 105.

You can find more Figures and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 96 f.