Ngbandi or Ngbaka figure, Ubangui, Democratic Republic of Co - Lot 30

Ngbandi or Ngbaka figure, Ubangui, Democratic Republic of Congo Early 20th century Carved wood Height: 37 cm Provenance : Jo de Buck Collection, Brussels French private collection ---- Ngbandi or Ngbaka figure, Ubangui, Democratic Republic of Congo Early 20th century Carved wood Height: 37 cm Provenance : Jo de Buck Collection, Brussels French private collection The spiritual conception of the peoples of southern Ubangi, such as the Ngbandi and Ngbaka, revolves around the figure of Gale, the creator god of the primordial ancestor Setu and his sister Nabo. Setu is often perceived as the first man, the one who establishes the order of the world and initiates social and ritual structures. He is at the origin of the transmission of knowledge, in particular that linked to initiation rites such as gaza or ganza (literally, "that which gives strength"). Through his example, he defines the values of courage, mastery and responsibility that underpin the adult identity of the Ngbaka. Nabo, his sister, is associated with fertility, continuity of lineage and vital forces. Less often represented than Setu, she is nonetheless essential to the myth, for it is through the complementarity of brother and sister that human society is organized according to the divine order. In some stories, the young boys' initiatory journey symbolically replicates that of Setu, reactivating the ancestral link between the living and their mythical origins. In contrast to this ideal figure, Ngbirondo emerges as a character often evoked in oral traditions. Ngbirondo embodies the antithesis of the initiated man: irreverent, impulsive, sometimes grotesque, he represents those who reject the established order or fail to integrate the norms of the gaza. Through his deviant behavior, he serves as a counter-model, paradoxically helping to reinforce the values conveyed by initiation. Installed at the entrance to the village to ensure its protection, this anthropomorphic effigy represents the transgressive Ngbirondo spirit, whose presence on the bangs of the community space serves as a reminder of the limits that must not be crossed. The straight, cylindrical body rests on short legs, while the arms with their fan-shaped fingers are glued to the torso, framing the swollen umbilical zone. A fine treatment of the back, whose double engraved line suggests muscularity. The shoulders, with their sharp edges, support a robust neck, from which emerges a round head, whose schematic face takes shape through two concave cavities representing the orbits, separated by a fine nasal bridge. The spiritual conception of the peoples of southern Oubangui, such as the Ngbandi and Ngbaka, revolves around the figure of Gale, the creator god of the primordial ancestor Setu and his sister Nabo. Setu is often seen as the first man, the one who established the order of the world and initiated social and ritual structures. He is the origin of the transmission of knowledge, especially those related to initiation rites such as gaza or ganza (literally, "that which gives strength"). Through his example, he defines the values of courage, mastery, and responsibility that form the adult identity among the Ngbaka. Nabo, his sister, is associated with fertility, the continuity of lineage, and vital forces. Less frequently represented than Setu, she is no less essential in the myth, as it is through the complementarity of the brother and sister that human society is organized according to the divine order. In some accounts, the initiation journey of young boys symbolically reenacts that of Setu, thus reactivating the ancestral connection between the living and their mythical origins. In contrast to this ideal figure emerges that of Ngbirondo, a character often evoked in oral traditions. Ngbirondo embodies the antithesis of the initiated man: irreverent, impulsive, sometimes grotesque, he represents the one who rejects the established order or fails to integrate the norms of the gaza. Through his deviant behavior, he serves as a counter-model, paradoxically contributing to reinforce the values conveyed by initiation. Placed at the entrance of the village to ensure its protection, this anthropomorphic effigy would represent the transgressive spirit of Ngbirondo, whose presence, on the outskirts of the community space, reminds the limits that must not be crossed. The straight, cylindrical body rests on short legs, while the arms, with fingers spread wide, are pressed against the chest, framing the swollen umbilical area. The back is beautifully treated, with a double engraved line suggesting musculature. The sharp-edged shoulders support a robust neck, from which emerges a round head, whose schematic face is formed through two concave cavities representing the orbits, separated by a fine na