Mbala Gihalu Giwenyi maternity figure
Lineage and prosperity in African art
In African art Mbala, the main sculptures were named after pindi and were carved in pairs: a statue of maternity gihalu giwenyi and a statue of a limba musician. Here is a beautiful copy of Mbala maternity. A standing mother carries a child on her side. Both are flanked by a crested hairstyle. The child carried on the left affirms this side as that of femininity among the Mbala.
The statues of this type were the property of territorial chiefs who invoked the characters in the event of misfortunes such as war, conflicts, poor harvests, epidemics, etc. Their main use, however, was to be insignia of authority during the rites of accession of chiefs.
Traditional Pindi maternity statues are not effigies, so they do not represent actual figures but are actually metaphors for prosperity and lineage.
Photo attached: mother Mbala carrying her child.
02008
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Circa 1960
- Size
- 39 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- Tribal art collection Belgium
- Condition
- Excellent
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Lineage and prosperity in African art
In African art Mbala, the main sculptures were named after pindi and were carved in pairs: a statue of maternity gihalu giwenyi and a statue of a limba musician. Here is a beautiful copy of Mbala maternity. A standing mother carries a child on her side. Both are flanked by a crested hairstyle. The child carried on the left affirms this side as that of femininity among the Mbala.
The statues of this type were the property of territorial chiefs who invoked the characters in the event of misfortunes such as war, conflicts, poor harvests, epidemics, etc. Their main use, however, was to be insignia of authority during the rites of accession of chiefs.
Traditional Pindi maternity statues are not effigies, so they do not represent actual figures but are actually metaphors for prosperity and lineage.
Photo attached: mother Mbala carrying her child.