Ngata Ntomba Reliquary

This village is formed by the symbiosis of two ethnic groups, the Ngata, traditionally blacksmiths and forgers and the Ntomba, farmers. They live on the banks of the Lualaba River in the Wangata wa Ibonga region. They are known for the large anthropomorphic and polychrome caskets called Bonganga Nganga and for a reduction of them destined to contain bones of ancestors and serving as reliquary. These coffins, intended for important men or women, were carved in a discreet place in the Efomba, sacred forest, by the bobongo, artisan specialized in wood carving, and also produced small statues intended for funeral rituals.

Funeral statue which is actually a reliquary intended to collect the remains of the deceased, a species of coffin called bonganga-nganga that is part of the statues Ngata-Ntomba. Bobongo is the sculptor in charge of carving it in the sacred forest Efomba. All these anthropomorphic figures are intended for funeral rites. These lockets are of different sizes according to the range of the person concerned. These reliquaries would keep the relics of the ancestors after having remained buried for some time.

This funeral statue is well known and presents a great hollowness in the back intended to receive bones from the ancestors, thus becoming an object of worship reliquary. This reliquary, intended to receive female remains, has the shape of a large ellipse with legs and arms. The legs are folded in a sitting position to which the lower part of the ellipse contributes. The arms appear to hold the top of the ellipse. The head, painted with kaoli, appears in the upper part. A plume of feathers rises at the top. The head has a great resemblance to the Punu, even in rhomboidal scarifications. It is used in funeral rites. Dark patina.