Kota Reliquary Figure from Gabon

This African “mbulu-ngulu” figure, plated with metal according to the Kota tradition, forms a stylized image of the ancestor, also a coat of arms for the clan, and is generally distinguished by the shape of the headdress, which varies depending on the region.
The Kota people are based in the eastern part of Gabon and some in the Republic of Congo. The sculptures playing the role of “medium” between the living and the dead who watched over the descendants, were associated with bwete rites, comparable to those of the Fang.