Pende Standing Figure Congo

The Pende people, numbering approximately 250,000 individuals, trace their origins to present-day Angola, from where they migrated in the 1600s in response to the political and cultural expansion of the Kingdom of Lunda. Today, the Pende are divided into two main groups: the Eastern and Western Pende, yet they maintain a shared identity and consider themselves a unified ethnic group.

Their social structure is built around extended family groups within a matrilineal society, where lineage and inheritance pass through the mother’s side. Unlike many other African societies, the Pende do not have a centralized chieftaincy; instead, family structures are paramount, and leadership within the family often falls to the eldest maternal uncle. This organization highlights the importance of familial bonds and the role of women in their social and spiritual systems.

Central to Pende cultural and religious life is the practice of ancestor worship, which is considered a vital component of their spiritual well-being. Rituals and offerings are regularly made to honor and appease ancestors, and neglect of these duties is believed to bring misfortune or illness. Diviners, often consulted in times of distress or imbalance, may prescribe offerings to a wooden sculpture, a physical manifestation of ancestral spirits, to restore harmony. These sculptures, crafted with care and imbued with spiritual significance, serve as focal points for the community’s connection to their ancestors and the spiritual world. The role of such artifacts within Pende society is not merely aesthetic but is deeply intertwined with their beliefs in spiritual balance and the reverence of those who came before them.

150960

Approximate Age: 20th Century
People: Pende
Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Material: wood

Damage/Repair: Chipped base; indigenous repair on legs. See photos for detail.
Overall Condition: Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use. We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings. Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.