Yombe

The Yombe belong to culture BakongoThey are established in the Mayombe area, in the centre of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in the south of the country, former Zaire. They are also represented in the Angolan territory of Cabinda. They have produced numerous maternity homes and fetishes of nails and mirrors, which have the same purposes as those of the rest of the BakongoThey wear three types of masks. The royal masks are responsible for the maintenance of order and the administration of justice. Their task is carried out with the support of the forces of the afterlife. The masks dedicated to worship belong to secret societies that are responsible for organizing the rites of initiation, called “bakhimba” and circumcision. And the masks dedicated to divination that belong to the healers and fortune tellers and that are in charge among other functions of expelling evil forces from the village.