African Arts Gallery

Female figure richly adorned, topped with a totemic animal, represented seated on a janiform mask. The bust is scarified, coated with a burgundy red pigmented dye. Thick polychrome crusty patina, locally chipped.
Two totemic clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name, in the northwest of the People's Republic of the Congo: to the west that of the panther, and to the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of chiefs. The initiation of young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The Kibe-kibe dances that accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation. The panther clan had a drum as its emblem. ...

African figure associated with the mythical ancestor Oso of the Kouyou, a neighboring group of the Punu in the Republic of Congo. The face and body bear numerous scarified designs, and the mouth reveals sharp teeth.
Polychrome matte patina. Erosions and cracks from desiccation. In the past, the Kouyou were divided into two totemic clans: in the west that of the panther, and in the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté, played an important political role in the appointment of chiefs. The initiation of young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The Kibe-kibe or Kebekebe dances, which accompanied the ceremony, reactivated the successive stages of creation. The panther clan had a drum as its emblem. For ...

Emblematic figure intended for the kibe-kibe, or Ebokita dance (S.Diakonoff) this sculpture refers to the mythical ancestor Oso. The face bears scarified patterns, and the mouth reveals sharp teeth.
Polychrome satin patina. Erosions.
In the past, the Kouyou were divided into two totemic clans: in the West that of the panther, and in the East that of the serpent. A secret male association, Ottoté, played an important political role in the appointment of chiefs. The initiation of young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The Kibe-kibe or Kebekebe dances, which accompanied the ceremony, reactivated the successive stages of creation. The panther clan had a drum as its emblem. For its part, the snake clan had ...

Ex-collection of French African art.
Iconic figure for dance kibe-kibe,or Ebokita (S.Diakonoff) this stick ends with a round-bump sculpture depicting a character perched on two similar faces, in connection with the mythical ancestor Oso . The white face has scarified patterns, and the mouth reveals sharp teeth. He is wearing a small animal. The body is also covered with scarifications. Long cracks in desication. Object comes with adapted base. In the past, the Kouyou were divided into two totem clans: to the west the Panther, and to the east the snake clan. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of leaders. The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the snake god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The ...

Standing on a janiform base, this statue shows a female figure clutching a child to her chest. The scarifications refer to the scales of the mythical serpent Djo, who created the world and fathered Ebongo, the primordial hybrid ancestor of man. A granular polychrome patina, locally cracked, covers the whole fetish. Two totemic clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name in the northwestern part of the People's Republic of the Congo: in the west that of the panther, and in the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of chiefs. The initiation of young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The Kibe-kibe dances that ...

Legs joined, arms along the body devoid of feet, this figure represented seated was made of terracotta. It is decorated with many polychrome decorative motifs.
Two totemic clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name, in the northwest of the People's Republic of Congo: in the west that of the panther, and in the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of leaders. The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The dances Kibe-kibe that accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation. The Panther clan had a drum as an emblem. For its part, the snake's had carved heads, painted in ...

Wearing a totemic animal evoking the camelon, this sculpture depicts a mythical being with three faces, perched on a pachyderm. A crusty, locally cracked polychrome patina is the entire piece.
Two totem clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name, in the northwest of the People's Republic of Congo: in the west that of the panther, and in the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of leaders. The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the snake god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The dances Kibe-kibe that accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation. The panther clan had a drum as its emblem. For its part, the snake's ...

Ex-collection of African art SEM Lamine Aidara,

a neighboring tribe of the Punu, settled on the banks of the Kuyu River, the Kouyou were once divided into two totemic clans: in the West that of the panther, and in the East that of the snake A secret masculine association, Ottoté, played an important political role in the appointment of the leaders.The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the god-serpent Ebongo represented in the form of a head. kibe who accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation.The clan of the panther had a drum for emblem.In his side, that of the snake had carved heads referring to the mythical ancestor, Oso, painted with bright colors, on sticks that the manipulator, concealed under a long dress, held hands ...

African tribal art Kouyou.
Figure with her arms attached to the scarred bust, she sports necklaces, bracelets and scarifications. This African statue Kouyou is encased with an orange-pink pigmented dye, the mouth reveals sharp teeth. She is also wearing a totem animal. It rises from a base that is adorned with three faces with a face identical to its own. Two totem clans once formed the Kuyu ethnic group, living along the river of the same name, in the northwest of the People's Republic of Congo: in the west that of the panther, and in the east that of the snake. A secret male association, Ottoté , played an important political role in the appointment of leaders. The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the snake god Ebongo represented in the form of a head. The ...

Kouyou terracotta statues are distinguished in African art by the bright colors with which their patina is adorned.
We find figures sitting or standing as is the case here, arms always along the body. The head is almost spherical and very expressive, the eyes drooping and the mouth open. Curved polychrome motifs decorate the whole piece.

In the past, the Kuyu were divided into two totemic clans: the panther clan in the west and the snake clan in the east.
A secret men's association, Ottoté, played an important political role in the appointment of the chiefs.
The initiation of the young men ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a head.
The dances that accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages ...