African art > African statues : tribal fetish, maternity > Yela figure

Yela figure (N° 20885)

African statue Yela, very graphic, depicting an ancestor of the clan. The heart-shaped, concave face is topped with a double crest. The parallel limbs are spread out from the body, the sex in evidence.
Dark oiled patina.

The Lualaba province had several closely related ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck ,of the hanged, named ofika . The lilwa , an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and sentencing to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules. These offenses ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secrecy encircling the lilwa . Dishonored, the bodies of condemned persons were not given any burial and were buried in the forest. It was during the ceremonies at the end of the initation, presided over by a notable isoya , that these statues were exhibited, presented lying on a litter. In addition to this type of figure, the Yela carve effigies of ancestors.
Velvety patina, cracks and erosions.  

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OriginEx-collection belge
EthnyYela
Countryrdc ex zaire
Material(s)wood
Height cm31
Width9 cm
Weight0.45 Kg
Socle includedYes

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