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Mothers of the initiates wear Umling Kobe - "Long Tears"- two long narrow strips of beadwork normally attached to a headband or head scarf, when their sons return from initiation. This signifies both their sadness at having lost their boys and their pride in the fact that these youngsters have been transformed into men.

This female figure with her abdomen slightly bulging, supported by the hands, probably to indicate a pregnant woman, which is possibly since these statues were used in fertility rites. The figure displays all the distinctive features of the Wakara style, somewhat exaggerated, as small cross-shaped scarifications all over the body, but the most typical features are the hairstyle with a protruding zigzag crest in vertical herring bone motif, with several thin braids on each side and breasts set very high (H. Leloup 1994: 162, pl. 98-100).

The carving depicting a Mother-and-Child figure may be the focal point in an altar complex, intended to enhance the worshiper's potential for fertility (Perani & Smitt 1998: 50). This fine seated Mother-and-Child figure is acorrding to LeLoup, a Bombu-Toro hermaphrodite, more femal than a male. She is sitting on a stool with caryatids, carries a child and holding a tubular shaped object. She has prominent breasts and ornamented with engraved armlets. The object she is holding may refer to the calabash ladle, the "ceremonial spoon" that in Dogon's iconography signifies "a matriarch or woman of importance". But her chin ic decorated with a tab-beard or lip-plug, a male attribute; furthermore, she is sitting in a chiefly position on a stool carved in the image of the world: the top disc represetns the sky and the bottom one, the earth (H. Leloup 1994).

The reliquary figure despite its geometry and flattened two dimensional aspects, is recognizable as human figure. Its highly stylized body is consists of a stem and an openwork lozenge, a symbol of fertility, which supports an stylized brass-plated head. The figure is covered with brass sheeting, with ornamental designs, but the back is usually undecorated. On occasion such as initiaton rites, festivals or in time of misfortune, as infertility, hunger, death or sickness, the ancestor reliquaries were invoked to magically strengthen the community, in ensuring their benevolent protection, bringing fertility, success and well-being to the community - reinforcing and assuring the flow of life (L. Segy 1975:213). 

The Kota reliquary figures guarding reliquary baskets (Bwete), have been well known and appreciated, since the beginning of European interest in African art. The figure is carved of wood and covered with ornamented brass sheeting, while the back is usually left undecorated. Although it has a two dimensional aspect, the inner play of the concave face with the convex - bulging forehead,brows and nose - produces definitely a relief effect. According to Siroto, many people of tropical Africa applied thin pieces of metal to their traditional sculpture in wood, but probably the most striking use of brass and copper over wood is in the Bewete figures of Equatorial Africa (L. Siroto 1968 vol.1 n0.3:22-27).

The Ngumba stylistic features in this male ancestor figure are very clear: It has rounded forms, a relatively long torso crowned by a large spherical head and short, massive legs, slightly bent. The arms are held away from the body, showing typical musculature, holding a “medicine horn” in both hands. The face is also highly characteristic - full and round with a large rectangular mouth, thick lips projecting forward, opened somewhat showing filed upper teeth, a long box-like beard and eyes formed by brass disks encircling pieces of mirror. The artist uses brass incrustation extensively. The coiffure is unique and typical to the Ngumba style - two parallel ridges of hair project from the sides and back of the head (L.Perrois 2006:35 pl. 8) 

This is an exceptional statue. Unfortunately, the door of the figure’s back was missing when I purchased it in Africa, but this is a rare opportunity to discover the mystery of a locked cavity of a reliquary figure. Looking into the cavity at the back, there are a head and two legs of a bird or a chicken, with other ingredients serving probably as a magical potion. And indeed, according to Andre Evens' research from the 1920’s and 1930’s, among Central Mbete there was “an important tradition of relic veneration related to ngoye association, a male cult devoted to hunting, since the hunters played an important role in tribal life". The clan leaders of the Mbete tribe attributed magic powers to their ancestors' relics that were conserved within the hollowed cavity of these wooden figures called mitsitsi-ngoye together with other empowering objects – assisting to bring success in hunting, defense and prosperity in the community’s life” (A. Even cited in  LaGamma 2007:276-7). 

These mitsitsi-na-ngoye reliquary sculptures were connected with ancestor cult, assisting in bringing success in hunting and prosperity in community life. The main function was related to initiation rites during a particular ceremony of the ngoye male association,when the figures were introduced before the initiates, to expose them to the names and history of their ancestoral relics (A. LaGamm 2007:272-3)                                                  

Clan leaders attributed mystical power to certain bones of their ancestors that were preserved within the hollowed interior of the mitsitsi-na-ngoye figure, which assisted in bringing success in hunting, fertility and defense in the community's life. The head is typical of the Mbete style: a flattened visage generally in lozenge shape, a slightly raised triangular forehead above a broad brow, cowry shells form the eyes, and open mouth exposing sharp iron teeth. The coiffure is a prominent raised crest while the sides are dense parallel grooves. A woven raffia cloth is tied around its hips, and three pigments of white, red and black are applied to the surface, referring symbolically to its ritual context (LaGamma 2007:270).

Non-royal stools were distinguished by their color and decoration. Called generally "whitened stools". Court officials and ordinary residents were presented with such stools at the time of important transitions. When a child began to crawl, a stool was given to symbolize long life. At puberty, a girl was placed ceremonially on a stool to mark her approaching womanhood. At marriage, a bridegroom would present a stool to his wife as a sign of martial longevity, and to ensure fertility, and many healthy children.

Janus image of male and female attached together, sharing mutual neck, handless with independent legs. The most extravagant limb is an erected phallus carried on top of the head. Rather than just an erotic art, it is probably more for sexual education during initiation. 

Helmet masks Ngon-Tang personify “young white dead women” returning from the land of the dead beyond the sea. Ngon-Tang masks were worn at Fang festivals, celebrations and ceremonies, such as births, deaths and funeral ceremonies, and at important village councils. Before the performances, the mask wearer would undergo the traditional initiation rite. He was accompanied by a singer who would undergo a similar preparatory rite. This helmet mask has a Janus-faced carving (with two faces looking in different directions), which is well known in African art. It refers to heightened vision and an ability to see beyond this world to the world of the dead ancestors' spirits, and the valuable ability to see from both sides simultaneously, as well as guarding from unseen supernatural forces. L. Perrois has suggested that “Feather ornaments were worn by dancers and ritual specialists, responsible for invoking the ancestors during rites, to designate the presence of the sacred”. The mask gives a serene, calm and dignified impression, referring to Fang moral values and the idealized social order.

The Mwana Pwo mask, one of the best known Chokwe mask, representing a female ancestor, symbolized the ideal mother and woman. Dancing with feminine short steps, the Mwana pwo masquerader which is the embodiment of the procreative power, watches over the fertility of future generations. (Perani & Smith 1998:247). The interlaced design in the form of a cross, a special mark of beauty and rank, is incised on the forehead of most Mwana Pwo masks, called ingelyenggelye - the motif derived from a Portuguese iron cross, formerly distributed by Tchokwe traders (Herreman 1993:80).

A rare type of Luluwa Bena mask. The marking in the middle of the forehead and the copper nails added here and there suggest that it was probably altered by a Tchokwe user (L. Segy 1976:26).

The Chi Wara is the best known among the Bamana association, which caught the attention of the West, because of it graceful decorative carved antelope headdress. In the past the purpose of the Chi Wara association was to encourage cooperation among all members of the community to ensure a successful crop. Chi Wara masqueraders perform always together in a male and female pairs, the coupling of the antelope,  masqueraders speak of fertility and agricultural abundance. This antelope headdress is in the vertical style, found in eastern Bamana and has a pair of upright horns (Perani&Smith, 1998:74-75).

According to L. Perrois, the Kota-Mahongwe carved two types of bwete sculptures. The large figures represent the founding fathers, while the small ones depict members of the families. The sculptures had specific names known to the entire village. The current figure probably belongs to the second type. This anthropomorphic, almost abstract sculpture is very impressive. It is made of a flat wooden construction in a leaf-like shape, slightly concave. Horizontally, it is covered entirely with brass strips, and with brass plates on its back. It is carved with decorative motifs. According to Meyer, "The figurine suggests a spirit world entirely separate from the world of the living… therefore …only sight functions, with the round eyes set low." The vertical brass threads beneath the eyes may represent ’tears’. The mouth is designed only as a cut, "there is no message from the other world." The nose is reduced to a tiny blade and the chignon may recall the traditional hairstyle of the old Mahongwe initiates.

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According to L. Perrois, the Shamaye (as the Mahongwe, Kota) used copper and brass leaf ornamentation to enhance not only the guardian figure atop the reliquary receptacle, but also the relics themselves stored inside (L.Perrois). This statue shows identifying traces of Kota-Mahongwe styles: a narrow oval face decorated with brass strips applied horizontally (as in the Mahongwe), a convex-concave face (as the Kota) with contrasting volumetric effect between a highly prominent oval forehead, raised angular nose and slightly concave almost flat cheeks. The absence of a mouth is typical of the Mahongwe. The base shows strong erosion where the figure was attached to its reliquary receptacle. 

On one of my trips to Central Africa, I purchased four interesting items, two similar statues, a door and a stool. The Gabonese dealer jealously guarded his sources, reluctant to provide any specific information, such as location, region, or name of village. He only stated that they were from Kota (north-east of Gabon) and had belonged to a respected, powerful and wealthy chief who converted to Islam, had built a new modern spacious villa, and sold his old traditional house, including its sculptured decoration.

This is a very unique statue, made of wood, completely covered with brass plaques. It has a "Kota" head (with a minor variation), but the extraordinary element is the statue’s front, composed of a cavity, in the form of a woven basket, containing a sculpted skull. The body is actually sculpted in the shape of a reliquary chest. These reliquary baskets were kept for generations but during the 20^th century, when religious beliefs changed, they were abandoned or even destroyed. Between 1940 and 1964, a local Christian movement referred to as the 'cult de demoiselles' was responsible for the destruction of most of these traditional objects. This movement was based on the idea that mimicking western values and lifestyles, as well as abandoning the old cult and idols, would help them to gain what they perceived as “western power" (J. Bacquart). In addition, Islam takes the First Commandment literally, the prohibition on representational imagery: "Thou shalt not carve thyself images, or fashion the likeness of anything in the heaven above, or on the earth below.”

This figure consists of a realistic oval face. Viewed from the front,the body holds a cavity of a woven basket containing a sculpted skull (brass plated). So, if we continue with the first impression, it could represent an ancestor skull and its reincarnation as a fetus in the womb. Symbols of the continuity and cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth, are clearly evident to the spectator. The aim of these reliquary rites was always to sustain close contact between the living and the ancestral spirit world. In addition, a political dimension was added to the religious role of the reliquary; it legitimized the chief's power through the possession of the skulls and various relics of the chiefs who had previously led the clan (L. Perrois). So, it is more than understandable that the chief surrounded himself with the emblematic elements of the past. 

The Okuyi mask represents the Punu ideal of beauty, with a style that tends to be more realistic than that of north Gabon. The mask is characterized by an oval or triangular white face, with a diamond-shaped scar carved in relief on the forehead and a square one on the temples. Slit eyes and reddened lips, enhanced by the blackened and characteristic ridged coiffure which may be carved as one, two or three grooved lobes, imitate a former practice, when women bolstered their braided hair with fiber stuffing. The Mukudj mask represented a female guardian spirit in the funerary rites, initiation of adolescent girls, and the ancestral cult. In the Mukudj society, the masked dancers danced in the rite of the full moon, often performing impressive acrobatics on stilts, invisible under their fiber skirts, as they proceeded through the village.