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Julien Gauthier

Lega Katanda Ancestral Figure.
DR Congo.

The Lega Katanda figures with raised arms and pierced bodies are ritual objects linked to the Bwami society of the Lega people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lega are well known for their carved figures (mizinga or idimu) and ivory or wooden objects that embody moral, philosophical, and initiatory teachings within Bwami, which governs social order, ethics, and spiritual knowledge.

The Katanda figures are distinctive because they often show raised arms, a gesture interpreted as a sign of supplication, invocation, or spiritual openness, and a pierced or perforated torso, which may symbolize vulnerability, the passage between physical and spiritual realms, or the idea that true wisdom requires the body and soul to be "opened" to knowledge. Such figures were not merely art but didactic tools: they were displayed, handled, or danced with during Bwami initiations to convey moral lessons and reinforce societal values. Their abstract style, with simplified forms and symbolic gestures, reflects Lega aesthetics, where physical realism is less important than philosophical meaning.

Provenance:
Jo Christiaens, Bruges, Belgium

Object type: Katanda
Tribe: Lega
Material: wood
Height: 25 cm

The condition and potential fragments or signs of wear are documented in detail through presented photographs.

Shipment is included following further defined rates. Other delivery or pickup methods can be organised accordingly.

Early 20th century - Wood - Fair condition

Ancestral Figure - Katanda - Lega - DR Congo

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Ancestral Figure - Katanda - Lega - DR Congo

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