Ancestor Figure – Wood, Leather – Pere – DR Congo

Beautiful wooden ancestor figure from the Pere tribe of DR Congo. The Pere, Piri, or Bakwa for the pymgies, form a semi-nomadic tribe from the Bira-Kumu from Uganda. Afte being decimated by Arab slave traders, tehy settled among the Nande in the Libero region, also among the pygmies. They have several traditional cults, the Nedekele ancestor cuslt, the esumba society, the Ntema therpeutic rites, Kilanga, an nsindi initiation society with culptures. Great figure with traces of tribal use. The eyes are made from small red beads. The face is covered in phembe (whit clay). The body is decorated with leather.

Provenance: former private collection from the Netherlands.