Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

  • Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue

Ngi Reliquary Gorilla Statue
Bulu / Fang / Beti- Pahuin
Kamerun - French Cameroon - British Cameroon (Cameroon) - French Equatorial Africa (Gabon)
First half 20th century
Wood, clay, pigment, vegetable fiber
Height: 54cm
Width: 23,5cm
Collection Date: 2012
Collection Number: 347

This statue was constructed by the Bulu, a mountainous rainforest people inhabiting the Republics of Gabon and Cameroon. The Bulu live close to the last remaining African habitats of mountain gorillas and other large primate species. These are central to the Bulu belief system and are culturally conceptualized as keepers of souls of the dead- who watch their daily movements.

By cultural tradition, the village Bulu priest would "order a wooden figure from the carver, then endow it with power to be discharged during rituals, whereby medicines or magically- charged materials were attached. The empowering substances could be inserted into cavities on the head or between the legs. In addition to carved figures, objects including shells, horns, cloth- bags, gourds, and clay pots were used as containers for this material" (Hobbs 1999).

The Bulu, like the Fang, practiced a ngi ritual against sorcery, in particular, against poisonings. Ngi is the gorilla, a fearful animal, with whom the candidate identifies after he has been accepted into the secret society. The specific function of this figure in the ngi ceremony is not known. Their stautes are remarkable for their invention of round and simple forms and for the accuracy of their observation of the animals's attitude. The Bulu admit that there is a part of their ancestors in the symbolism of the gorilla.

Carved wooden figure of a moutain gorilla in simple rounded shape, deep relief facial structure with a strong brow ridge forming into nostrils, bulbous eyes and lids, turned ears, bulged cheek bones and rounded chin and mouth. White paint of a type of clay type on the upper face while a red color resides on the lower half. The head is tucked into his arched shoulders, arms, and rolled knuckles to the ground. Rounded belly and bent knees. A blue dye is present around the groin area. The back has a cavity with vegetable fiber still present. These ngi statues are relativley rare with this example being the one of the nicest ones found online.