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 coffins called Bonganga Nganga and for a reduction of them destined to contain bones of the ancestors and that serve as reliquary. The large coffins, intended for important men or women, were carved in a discreet place of Efomba, sacred forest, by the bobongo, a craftsman specializing in wood carving, and also produced small statues intended for funeral rituals.

The reliquary presents an anthropomorphic female figure, with arms raised at the sides of the head. The body has an elongated ovoid appearance, with its head painted with kaolin on the top third. Above the head, a sculpted stripe with zig-zag lines goes down to the navel. Another line painted white at the height of the breasts in papalelo with a lower line. Brown patina.