Lualua Lwalwa Figural Talking Stick Congo

Historically, Lwalwa carvings were used in funerals and initiation ceremonies, but today they appear mostly in paid celebrations with little ritual importance. The sculptors who make them are still revered however, as historic art forms remain a socially important link to ancestors and the history of the group. The tradition is passed down from father to son. Among the Lawlwa masks serve to witness initiations and circumcisions of the youths and some are danced during hunting rituals. None of these dances are witnessed by women and children.

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