Lwena statuette, Angola. - Lot 198

Lwena statuette, Angola. Carved from dense wood, this protective female figure is said to be associated with the mythical ancestor and to be responsible for human fecundity, land fertility and successful hunting. The face is a miniature replica of the powerful mukishi mask wa pwo nyi cijingo ca tangwa wearing the kambu ja tota. The face is a miniature replica of the powerful mukishi wa pwo nyi cijingo ca tangwa mask, topped with the kambu ja tota ("Chokwe and Their Bantu Neighbours" Rodrigues de Areia.) Brown satin patina. Abrasions, cracks 37 x 11 cm Of Lunda origin, the Lwena or Luena emigrated from Angola to Zaire in the 19th century, driven out by the Chokwe. While some became slave traders, others, the Lovale , found refuge in Zambia. Their society is matrilineal, exogamous and polygamous. The Lwena are renowned for their sculptures of deceased ancestors and chiefs, and their masks linked to the initiation rites of the mukanda. Their sculpture was largely influenced by that of the Chokwe.