Product Description
Lega Maginga Figure – RDC
This small, late 19th–early 20th century, Maginga statue made of wood originates from the Lega peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The figure portrays angular legs tapering to the torso with protruding navel framed by truncated arms, the sloping shoulders supporting the head with scooped, heart-shaped facial plane, notched mouth and coffee-bean eyes; covered in kaolin.
Made of 100% wood, kaolin, vegetable fibers.
Model is W 51 – H 16 and weight 1.9 kg.
Description
This small, late 19th–early 20th century, Maginga Bwami statue made of light wood originates from the Lega peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. the figure portrays angular legs tapering to the torso with protruding navel framed by truncated arms, the sloping shoulders supporting the head with scooped, heart-shaped facial plane, notched mouth and coffee-bean eyes; covered in kaolin. Lega wooden figures are rare and served as part of the contents of a basket used during initiation ceremonies. Although simple in form, these carved objects embody complex and multiple meanings, elaborated through proverbs, skits, and dances. The masks refer to ancestors and are passed from one generation of initiates to the next as symbols of continuity. For the Lega, physical beauty and moral excellence are inseparable. The dotted-circle motifs on many Lega works represent body markings, which enhance both the carvings and the characters they depict. The smooth polished surfaces of the sculpture allude to the refined and perfected nature of the Bwami initiate. Each anthropomorphic figurine symbolically represents a named personage with particular moral qualities or defects that are expressed through dance and sung aphorisms in initiations to the highest grades of the association. Although quite primitive and coarse in style and execution, very expressive Lega sculpture convey the strong sense of balance, form and serenity.
The Lega are forest people Bantu of Central Africa established mainly Democratic Republic of Congo to the east of the river Lualaba to the borders with Rwanda and Burundi, in the provinces of North Kivu , the South Kivu and Maniema. They practice a mixed economy involving agriculture, hunting and fishing. The function of the Bwami is to regulate the social, religious, and political life of the Lega. It is conveying ethical principles and establishing social norms. The great ceremonies organized for the accession to the highest level would require that entire villages be constructed to house the clan of the candidate and members of the other clans who often came from very far away to participate in the festivities. The objects are frequently moved around in various containers and grouped in large number for ceremonial displays; for this reason, there is no large Lega art.
Additional information
| Weight | 1.9 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 51 × 16 cm |
| Material | Bronze, Wood, Ceramic, Terracotta, Woven rattan, Leather |
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