Description
Book SynopsisThe Kuyu are an ethnic group who live in northern Congo-Brazzaville, on the banks of the River Congo, in a part of Equatorial Africa that has remained only marginally influenced by Moslem encroachment and Western colonialism. Kuyu art can be broadly broken down into three styles, the first two — of which there are the fewest examples — are strictly associated with the Kuyu ethnic group, while the third style, which has the largest sculptural component, includes both Kuyu and Mbochi pieces. Among these are a number of statuettes and especially wooden clubs topped with a human head (the most recent being polychrome), known as Kebe-Kebe, which were used in the dance by the same name. This ritual performance has remained faithful to its original function of giving physical expression to the Kuyu cosmogony.
Table of Contents6 Foreword 9 Different Stages of Kuyu Art 11 Who Are the Kuyu? 11 Introduction 12 History 27 Objects and Their Styles 64 Conclusion 65 Plates 103 Plate Entries 111 Annotated Bibliography 119 Acknowledgements 120 Biography 121 Captions 123 Photo Credits
