Pende - Pende

Healing staff fragment – Pende culture – Jonathan Hope Collection, London

Rare healing-staff element attributed to the Pende culture (Democratic Republic of the Congo), from the Jonathan Hope collection.

This type of object traditionally belonged to a ritual set used by a healer or spiritual specialist. The staff, often adorned with symbolic carved elements, served to channel and direct invisible forces during healing, protection, or divination practices.

The form of this piece, its expressiveness, and its antique patina attest to prolonged use and a strong symbolic charge. The traces of use reinforce its authenticity and its grounding in a living ritual context.

Pende arts are renowned for the expressive power of their sculptures, closely linked to social, spiritual, and therapeutic practices.