Bakota Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu) 

Price: 32,000 euros

Bakota. Cupper, wood, first 19th century. 69,5 cm

A classical Mbulu Ngulu and on the back two inverted triangles

provenance: Christie's Amsterdam 6 december 1999 

This fine Bakota is coming from the grand-child of the missionaries Judith an Oscar Morfeldt, collected between 1910-1919.  Forbonder Misssion  

This fine Bakota reliquary guardian figure from Gabon is quite impressive by it's size. Wood and cupper. Classic scarifications. No mouth. A book with reprints of old mission slides will be delivered to the buyer.

Price  32,000 euros                  Information: Availability request on Bakota-Morfeld

Ancestral Guardian figure  BAKOTA - GABON

Three major groups live in the equatorial rainforests of Gabon: the Fang and related peoples; the Ogowe (Ogooué) group, including the Ashira and Mpongwe; and the Kota.

Kota peoples would often honor their ancestors by keeping their skull and bones preserved in reliquaries. These reliquaries, often large baskets or boxes, were topped by guardian figures called mbulu ngulu. These highly abstract figures also served as symbolic portraits. The Kota is the above part of the Basket.

This is a fine sample of an old genuine Bakota, begin XXth century with a clear provenance . 

Information request on Bakota-Morfeld  Price  32,000 euros                  

Bibliography: BAKOTA FUNERARY FIGURES Author: Ladislas Segy

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