African Arts Gallery

The Metoko in African tribal art.
This small statuette with collected volumes is camped on large digitized feet, the hips surrounded by a raffia bond evoking a loincloth. A nasal ridge joining the top of the forehead, eye lozenges, a small mouth drawn in the wood.  Numerous scarifications, written in alternating parallel lines, reveal the character's status, which would play a worthy old man who has been a victim of witchcraft, kakungu. In the hollow of these furrows kaolin pigments have become embedded, giving a light beige patina to the object.
Katungu cult statue belonging to the Metoko and Lengola, peoples of the primary forest dedicated to the worship of a single God, rare monotheism in Africa. Their company, Bukota, welcoming both men and women, is the equivalent of the association Bwami of Lega. The sculptures played a role during the initiation ceremonies, and were then placed on the grave of the high-ranking initiates. Each of these figures had a name, just like the Lega traditions.