Fine Phemba mother and child (maternity) figure of the Yombe people living in Congo. Ex collection of the late Andrzej S. N. - London. Now in my private Dutch collection. Material: wood, glass, kaolin. Mother and child figures of the Yombe are one of the most recognizable carvings found in African Art. These figurines were mainly constructed by women trying to evoke spirits of fertility in hopes of giving birth or to keep a young infant healthy. These figures were usually displayed in shrines to evoke the spirits.