Hemba Kabeja Janus Figure

This kabeja makua figure beautifully illustrates the most rare and unique of the Hemba statuary. Although each clan was endowed with several ancestor effigies, the Janus figures, a personal possession of the chief, were unique to each lineage structure.

" Whether administering justice (kihona), making an offering to the ancestor (lusingiti), or making other offerings, these Janus kabeja were always present. [...] the Kabeja Makua is the fundamental object of the Hemba cult, including the cult of ancestors. "

- Neyt, La grande statuaire Hemba du Zaïre (The great Hemba statuary of Zaire), 1977, p. 483-484) -
 
Tribe:
Hemba, Democratic Republic of Congo
 
Period:
Early 20th century

Provenance:
Belgian private collection
Jo Christiaens private collection, Bruges, Belgium

wood
height 28 cm
sold with metal stand