African Tribal Art - Fang Mabea Statue

Ex-Guy Mercier collection, Belgium.

The Mabea, located in southern Cameroon, were strongly influenced by the Fang, an ethnic group present from Yaoundé in Cameroon to Ogooué in Gabon. The Mabea have integrated many Fang rituals, such as so and ngil. However, their reliquary statues, carved by the Mabea, are generally distinguished by their larger size compared to those of the Fang, and are decorated with various attributes. This representation of a female ancestor follows current aesthetic standards, despite some missing items or ritual removals for therapeutic purposes. Its red-brown patina bears witness to time passed, marked by drying cracks. Among the Fang of Cameroon and Gabon, each family has a “Byeri”, a reliquary box, in which the bones of the ancestors are kept. These boxes were topped with a statue or head that acted as a guardian. They were also used during initiation ceremonies for young members of the "So" society. During the festivities, the statues were removed from their boxes and displayed during parades.

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