Standing male power figure "tege" ·  D. R. Congo, Teke · ID: 3045301

Description

wood, base

After the magical charge was applied by a healer “nganga”, the figures were called “buti”. If the figure was not loaded - as in present case - it was called “tege”.

The face has deeply carved, evenly spaced vertical lines representing typical Teke scarification (“mbandjuala”).

Individually owned, “buti” figures represented and were named after a deceased male ancestor or chief. A “buti” was kept in its male owner’s house, and when he died, it was buried with him.

The object Standing male power figure “tege” with the object ID 3045301 was last part of the auction 91 Tribal Art Auction at March 9, 2019 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 363.

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