African Arts Gallery

Prestige sculptures in African tribal art. An African female figure would form the "receptacle of a deceased sovereign chief" (Luba, Roberts). The prominent scarifications around the navel, "center of the world" associated with lineage, testify to notions of fertility. This type of miniature stool called lupona, or kioni, kipona, kiona, depending on the source, constitutes the meeting point of the sovereign, his people, and the protective spirits and ancestors, where past and present symbolically and spiritually mingle. It once formed the seat on which the king was enthroned. The seats were placed on leopard skins during the investiture of the new chief. It was only after sitting down that his speech took on a royal and divine character. Apart from these exceptional circumstances, the seats were not used and remained stored in secret locations.
Black matte patina. Crack. Source "Africa, The Art of a Continent" ed. Prestel ; "Luba" F. Neyt ; https://www.art-tribal.fr/art-tribal/livres-art-africain/Sieges-d-Afrique-noire/22180 .