Prestige Staff Depicting a Warrior or Chief

Origin: Lulua Tribe, D.R. Congo
Composition: wood, forged iron, pigment dye, kaolin (white pigment), powdered camwood (red pigment)

Lulua chiefs display works of art that allude to their position, and this piece is designed to be a hand-held symbol of that prestigious position. Historically, these pieces belonged a group named bwanga nwa bukalenga, and were meant to strengthen the life-force and the authority of the chief, to guard the people's well-being, and to perpetuate ancestral bonds. Some pieces were said to have been carried into battle to provide moral support and courage, and to revitalize the power of the chiefs.

An elaborate coiffure is an important symbol of the high rank of the chief, and on this piece, it is ingeniously depicted with a masterfully forged piece of iron. The red dye on the figures face  is made from powdered camwood and oil or water, and symbolizes the chief's capacity for clairvoyance and a combination of defensive and offensive powers (Ref: Visona, A History of Art in Africa; Koloss, Africa: Art and Culture).

This piece was purchased directly from the tribe in the D.R. Congo in 2008. We found nothing even remotely similar to it, and have had nothing like it in the past. A highly collectible, spectacular piece.