Iginga statuette

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Lega people are a forest population of Central Africa. The Bwami society occupies a determining place in their social and religious life. The goal of every bwami initiate is to observe an ideal moral code of conduct, that is, good, truth-oriented, and spiritually perfect. For the Lega, the bwami is the ultimate goal of their life and all their artistic production is dedicated to this powerful association. The iginga statuettes are the exclusive and individual property of the initiates of the Bwami association. Every initiate has at least one statue of this type, acquired upon accession to the corresponding grade. These statues were most often inherited from a deceased relative after being displayed on their tomb. Each is associated with a specific aphorism. They “recall the virtues of the initiates of past generations, they maintain moral, social, legal and philosophical rules and norms defended by their predecessors; they are the links between past and present generations.”