Rare bouclier, avant 1900
German Private Collection
Description
wood, dark brown patina, kaolin (darkened), of oval vaulted form, carved with the representation of a small “kifwebe” mask in the centre, surrounded by flat incised band ornaments, massive handle backside, handwritten remarks at the same place: “hendo de guerra - Leubas (Nana-bandundo)”, collection number “21/10019” (hardly readable), slightly dam., crack, rest.;
these rare shields were the property of the “bwadi bwa kifwebe” mask society. According to Mestach they functioned as guardians of the mask huts (“kiobo”). The mask is said to be a “kalengula” - “a mask that does not dance”. For Benitez-Johannot the shields have a symbolic meaning too. According to her they were used like flags to lead troops into battle. Similar shields were used as gifts to chiefs who chose to align themselves with the Songe/Luba rather than fight. Hence the shields were symbol for political alliances and sign for territorial claims.
Some shields were found in areas far from the place of their origin. One particularly fine shield was collected as far north as the Lomami and Lualaba rivers, reaching this region of the Topeke and Lokele peoples possibly as a trade item or in payment of political alliance. These rare shields began to arrive in Belgium by the late 19th century. They may have come to Belgian collections as a result of such exchanges, functioning as emblems of appeasement and as a means to gain political ground with the Congo’s colonial rulers. Similarly, this shield from Belgian Congo could have come from neighboring Angola which was under Portuguese colonial rule and then entered into a Portuguese collection.
Another beautiful example of these rare shields comes from the Josef Mueller Collection (before 1939), now Barbier-Mueller Museum (Invetory No 1026-111). A further one from the Bareiss Collection was collected between 1893 - 1900.