A Lega Bwami mask, Democratic Republic of Congo, region of Pangi. An elongated face painted cream white with round, wide-open eyes, a long, straight nose connected to the eyebrows, both painted dark brown, as is a cap covering the crown, and a square, open mouth showing teeth. incl stand. The Lega people live , between the Great Lakes and the Lualaba River, near the Luba people. All Lega art is created and used within the context of the Bwami society. Most Lega artworks — such as ivory and wooden figures and masks — are produced for this purpose. Lega Bwami is an initiation-based moral and philosophical system practiced by the Lega (Warega) people who live in the untouched forests of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Rather than constituting a religion or a centralized political institution, Bwami functions as a framework for ethical formation, social regulation, and the transmission of knowledge. In the absence of hierarchical political authority, Bwami historically played a central role in structuring social relations and defining legitimate forms of leadership grounded in moral competence rather than coercive power. Bwami is organized into a graded system of initiation through which individuals advance over the course of their lives. Progression is contingent upon moral conduct, mastery of teachings, ritual participation, generosity, and recognition by the community. Both men and women may attain advanced grades, including the highly esteemed Kindi level, which is associated with wisdom, social responsibility, and ethical authority. Status within Bwami is therefore achieved rather than inherited, and emphasizes restraint, humility, and accountability to the collective. The transmission of Bwami knowledge relies on oral and performative modes rather than written doctrine. Instruction is conveyed through proverbs, songs, ritual performances, and the use of material objects. Sculptures, masks, and figurative forms—often executed in wood or ivory—function as mnemonic and pedagogical devices that encode ethical principles. These objects are presented in initiation contexts, where elders engage initiates in interpretive discourse, encouraging reflection on values such as moderation, cooperation, truthfulness, and the ethical limits of power. Central to Bwami philosophy is the prioritization of moral integrity over social or physical dominance. Authority is legitimized through ethical behavior and self-control, while unchecked power is regarded as socially dangerous. Many Lega ritual objects now held in museum collections were originally restricted to initiated members, and their meanings are inseparable from the oral teachings that accompanied them. Bwami thus represents a sophisticated system of African philosophy in which ethics, aesthetics, and social practice are deeply intertwined, demonstrating the capacity of non-literate societies to sustain complex philosophical traditions through embodied knowledge and symbolic form. CAB30481