Reliquary

Together with the Mahongwes are the best known manifestations of the reliquaries Kota. Like its northern neighbours, its use by the Obamba can come from the 10th century approximately, developing from the century XV with the first contact with Europeans, which facilitate the provisioning in brass and copper. These metals, yellow and red, were symbols of wealth and their employment seemed appropriate to honor the dead.

They are characterized mainly by a kind of “croisant” that crowns the hairstyle, with large ears or lateral fins of which hang a kind of pendant. His body is formed by a rhombus parallel to his face. These lockets are named after Ngulu-Mbulu And they have only one face.

Almond face but more tuned at the bottom, surrounded by a headdress of important proportions, forming a large segment of circle over the head, with the arch upwards and two lateral fins, symmetrical, topped at the bottom by a horizontal line giving the feeling that the face is surrounded by a large omega letter.