African Ngombe shield used by funeral rites - Congo. Hand carved & size are 85 cm high and 41 cm wide. This Ngombe shield is dated from the 20th century and comes with a certificate of authenticity. This is a beautiful shield of the Ngombe people. Young Ngombé men staged mock battles during the funeral rites of respected clan elders. These rites, which celebrated the warrior prowess of the deceased, later became a way to commemorate his courage as a hunter in service to the community, his generosity to his family, and an expression of the deep respect due to the ancestors. The Ngombe are a people from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most Ngombes live along the Zaire River, north of the settlements of Mbandaka and Basankusu, where they traditionally led a riverine life: fishing, farming on the banks of the river and trading goods up and down the Zaire River in northwestern Zaire.