Book Description

This unique collection of rarely seen tribal art brings together nearly one thousand examples of powerful artefacts from the Songye tribe of Central Africa. A tribal people located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Songye are best known for their distinctive statuaries and masks, which for centuries have been used to protect villages, ward off enemies and bring fertility and wealth. Approximately one thousand of these pieces are shown in this vibrant collection by the world's leading expert on the Songye in conjunction with the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, the world's premier research institute of African Studies. The Songye often named their statues and decorated them with horns, skins, beads, tacks, shells and bits of cloth. As a result, each item displays a singular, impressive identity. Considered to be imbued with magical energy and used only by village shamans, these statues have enormous cultural and historical significance, and they are also powerful works of art in their own right. AUTHOR: François Neyt is the author of several books on African art. ILLUSTRATIONS 400 colour illustrations