Such bowl-carrying figures, called ‘Mboko’ or ‘Kabila’, are ritual objects amongst the Luba in southeastern Congo, and are the personal possession of chiefs, soothsayers and healers. They are placed on the ground in front of their houses, to honour their ancestors. The vessels, which they hold with both hands and generally on their outstretched legs, are filled with ‘holy’ white chalk. This white powder is also used during oracles and prophecies. Bowl-carriers are also placed in front of the houses of pregnant women, in order to ease the birth. The present bowl-carrier is a typical, older and very fine example of such a ritual object. Carved in lightweight wood and dyed black. She displays a characteristic Luba face, with a round, backward-sweeping hairstyle with sunken bun, and a headband with linear, jagged chip-carving decoration. Her body has high-set breasts, a recessed dorsal line at the back, and accentuated shoulder blades. On both sides of her abdomen and on the back, the typical, dense, geometric patterns of scarification marks of the Luba women can be seen in incised relief. The ball-shaped ‘bowl’ for the white chalk, which is also carved with a linear band of triangles, is held by the bowl-carrier in both hands and on her outstretched legs and feet. A perfectly fashioned ritual object of the Luba, with excellent, shiny usage patina and only small, age-related damage: a hole on the underside of the right leg, colour scuffing in places. H: 37 cm; L: 25 cm; W: 15 cm. First third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.

Lit.: 'Luba' by Francois Neyt, fig. p. 15, 18 and from p. 22 to p. 41; 'Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture' by K.-F. Schädler, fig. p. 117.