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TRIBAL AFRICAN ART
ZOMBO (BAZOMBO, NZOMBO, ZOOMBO)
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola
Living near the border with Angola, along the Inkisi River, the 15,000 Zombo are historically linked with the Kongo kingdom, but during the 18th century they broke away and enlarged their territories at the expense of the Yaka people. At that time, they gained a reputation as traders in commercial goods and slaves and served as intermediaries between the coastal-dwelling Portuguese and the interior. With the abolition of the slave trade in the 19th century, their economy collapsed and their power vanished. Today they are led by several land chiefs who are assisted by village chiefs, usually the oldest person from the oldest family. The Zombo economy is now based on hunting and farming.
Their statues have naturalistic
features, probably influenced by Kongo art, but the general morphology of their sculptures
relates to Yaka artistic tradition. Small and large fetish figures adorned with
paraphernalia and with a realistic face were used for healing, protecting and bringing
good fortune to their owner. The diviners used slit gongs to add to the rhythmic aura of
the performance. Some gongs are charged with magical substances that transform them into a
power figure. Helmet masks with large globular eyes and a high coiffure were worn during
circumcision ceremonies.
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