African Arts Gallery

French collection of classical African art. A prestigious ceremonial attribute, this ancient fly swatter is sculpted with a head reproducing the group's masks. Glossy oiled patina, long drying crack.
A tribe of the Tabwa group, the Rungu are established in a region between the D.R.C. (Democratic Rep. of Congo), Zambia and Tanzania. Under the influence of neighboring Lubas and Bemba, the Rungu produced prestigious objects intended for dignitaries: stools, combs, spoons and scepters, frequently decorated with figures of couples or twins evoking primordial ancestors. Their king, called mwéné tafuna, lives in Zambia. A women's association, Kamanya, has dolls like those of the Tabwas.