Suku fetish statuette, DRC ex Zaire - Lot 14

Suku fetish statuette, DRC ex Zaire This small, androgynous statuette features a masculine face with a small beard, while a large chest is associated with fertility. The reduced, massive, crenellated legs are also a feature of suku sculptures. Chiefs used fetishes called bwene, bisungu, representing the clan ancestor. Dark patina, residual clay incrustations Cracks 19 x 6 cm The Suku and Yaka ethnic groups are geographically very close in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and share the same social and political structure, as well as similar cultural practices. Their carved wooden figures - through which they honor their ancestors - and their mask-heaumes are renowned.