Among the variety of objects held by the Lega initiates of the Bwami Association, this figurine, a rare small ivory talisman with a tapered shape, was intended for a high-graded woman who wore it at the waist, tied by the opening on the tip. Amber oiled patina. The Bwami governs the Lega social structure, open to circumcised adults and their wives and instructs their adherents in terms of moral perfection. These objects are part of the masengo , meaning that they are sacred and can therefore only be worn by the initiates. The owner cannot part with it during his life. Bwami has varying degrees, with yananio and kindi being the highest. The teacher guided the aspirant to a place where masks and statuettes were exhibited, and it was through careful observation that the future initiate had to guess the more or less complex meaning of the metaphors associated with the sculptures, referring largely to proverbs and sayings. Each of these initiations took place over seven days and included at least seven performances. Individual items were then kept in a woven bag worn over the shoulder in a basket for those that were won collectively.
Sold for 225.00 € This item is sold with its certificate of authenticity
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