Buyu (Boyo) Male Figure on Custom Base Congo

This distinctive figure, characterized by square shoulders and scarified belly, embodies the unique essence of a Buyu Ancestor Figure. Originating from the region between the Luluaba River and Lake Tanganyika, an area rich in historical, religious, and artistic complexity, this intricately carved piece reflects the cultural diversity of the Boyo people. The Boyo consists of six distinct yet related clans, each maintaining individual styles of art while sharing similar shapes. While attributed to the greater Buyu (or Basumba) style, this figure's specific clan origin remains undefined, possibly belonging to the Hanga or Sumba (Basumba) clans. Honored as a representation of a chief, these figures were placed on shrines' altars, covered with a cloth around the shoulders and lower abdomen. Revered and offered food and drink, the figure served as a connection to past heroic chiefs, offering comfort and guidance to supplicants through its scarification patterns that mirrored those of the ancestor it represented.

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