Tribal Art

African headrests come in an almost infinite variety: this type of African headrest, at the same time a stool, has a dark glossy patina. This massive block with a gently curved oval top was probably made by the Sidama or Gurage people of southern and southwestern Ethiopia. The latter are among the eighty ethnic groups in Ethiopia who produced various neck rests for individual use called yagerteras, or "pillows of my country" or "Boraati" ("tomorrow you").
Slight cracks.
Over time, the realization becoming more complex until becoming real small masterpieces of sculpture, they also became individual objects of prestige and power, placed on family or collective altars. These objects were initially intended to protect the elaborate hairstyles of their owner (man or woman) ...

Beautiful balance for this African tribal sculpture, an element of African furniture that must preserve the voluminous traditional headdresses, characterized by its animal motif and its shiny patina.

Peacefully settled in eastern Angola until the 16th century, the Chokwé were then subjected to the Lunda empire, from which they inherited a new hierarchical system and the sacredness of power. Nevertheless, the Chokwé never fully adopted these new social and political contributions. Three centuries later, they ended up seizing the capital of the Lunda weakened by internal conflicts, thus contributing to the dismantling of the kingdom. The Chokwé did not have centralized power but large chiefdoms. They were the ones who attracted artists wishing to put their know-how at the ...

This bed consists of a concave board established on four legs, a sculpted neck support acting as a pillow. The effigy in the round adorning the head of the bed probably represents the tribal chief Chibinda Ilunga, hunter and mythical hero, founder of the Chokwé ethnic group, wearing the cipenya-mutwe, the objects being decorated of this figure having a protective function. The contours are inlaid with upholstery nails.
Brown patina encrusted with ochre.
Native restorations. Desication erosions and cracks.
Peacefully settled in eastern Angola until the 16th century, the Chokwé were then subjected to the Lunda empire from which they inherited a new hierarchical system and the sacredness of power. Nevertheless, the Chokwé never fully adopted these new social and ...

Collection of African French art
Among the elements of traditional furniture from East Africa, this African neckrest with a heterogeneous patina lustrous by use bears a decoration consisting of a series of small notches. More than eighty ethnic groups in Ethiopia have produced different headrests for individual use named yagerteras, or “my country pillows” or “Boraati” (“tomorrow you”).
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Over time, the realization becoming more complex until they became real small masterpieces of sculpture, they also became individual objects of prestige and power, placed on family or collective altars. These objects were originally intended to protect the elaborate hairstyles of their owner (male or female) during the night. But among the Turkana, for example, it is the emblem of the ...

One of the feet supporting this loosely zoomorphic headrest retained the natural shape of a branch segment. The oblong seat, patinated by use, is pleated on the contours under which a handle has been cleverly arranged. The growths at each end give this seat an aerodynamic shape. Brown glossy patina. Desication cracks and erosions.
This prestige object was intended to preserve the complex headdress of its owner, which also indicated its social status, but was also used as a stool. Some, with handles, accompanied individuals on their travels, such as hunting or guarding livestock. Among the Mandari of South Sudan, men shed their neck support as they age, which they give to younger people to acquire more comfortable ones.
Dealy was collected about these nomadic inhabitants of ...

A utilitarian object of daily African life and an expression of traditional African art, this headrest or "dream support" is, for the tribes of Kenya, a pillow that preserves the elaborate headdress during sleep. It is also an object of prestige aiming at enhancing the status of its user. Among the Turkana, they are offered to the future wife as a wedding vow, and returned to the man in case of refusal. Among the Pokot, it is a gift that marks the ceremonies of passage to adulthood. The headrests often take the stylized form of an animal, livestock being of the greatest importance for the pastoral tribes of East Africa. These sculptures accompany their owner on the occasion of festivities.
Dark brown lustrous patina, marks of use.

Prestigious object aiming to enhance the status of its user, expression of traditional African art , this monoxyl headrest or even "dream support", constitutes, for the tribes of Kenya and Uganda, a pillow to preserve, during sleep, the elaborate headdresses. It was also used as a stool. Among the Turkana , they are offered to the future bride as a marriage vow, and returned to the man in case of refusal. Among the Pokot established in the region from Lake Turkana to Lake Baringo, it is the present that marks the ceremonies of coming of age or a reward for victory in conflict.
Headrests frequently take the stylized form of an animal, with cattle being of the utmost importance to the pastoralist tribes of East Africa.
Shiny patina of use. Minimal native restoration ...

Original design, reserved for a couple according to some, this neck rest stands out thanks to its curved double support. The glossy supports, supported by three colonial feet emerging from a rectangular base, are engraved with geometric patterns arranged in regular triangles. This piece of furniture, widely distributed throughout the African continent, could have different uses: "dream support" preserving elaborate hairstyles, but also transportable seating, sometimes deliberately unstable in order to be able to cradle children, the base sometimes forming tablet, this utilitarian object, among some tribes of South Africa, became an object of seduction offered to the future wife.
Smooth, dark patina. Localized erosions.
The Kuba of the Democratic Republic of Congo, established ...

Ex Belgian African art collection. Rectangular neckrest, dense and massive, adopting cephalomorphic handles. Patina of use, veined wood, glossy.
The Tabwa ("to scarify" and "to write") constitute an ethnic group present in the southeast of the DRC, around Lake Tanganyika. Tribes in this region, such as the Tumbwe , worship ancestors mipasi through carvings held by chiefs or sorcerers. Simple cultivators with no centralized power, the Tabwa federated around tribal chiefs after coming under the influence of the Luba. It was mainly during this period that their artistic current was expressed mainly through statues but also masks. The Tabwa practiced ancestor worship and dedicated some of their statues to them. Animists, their beliefs are anchored around the ngulu , nature ...

Utilitarian objects in African art
br- Resting on three oblique feet this zoomorphic-looking African neck support symbolically evoking cattle has an oblong seat at the concave centre. Oiled brown patina. This prestigious object was intended to preserve the complex headdress of its owner, also indicated its social status, but was also used as a stool. Some, with handles, accompanied individuals on their travels. Belt replaced by one of its owners.
Dealy was collected about these nomadic inhabitants of southern Sudan. Some of these East African tribes have been virtually exterminated by the inter-tribal wars and the Islamic slave trade. Organized around livestock farming, these ethnic groups considered the possession of cows and herds, and therefore of milk and meat, as a mark of ...

This object, whose stability is provided by three feet in a slight oblique, and whose ends of the oblong tray curve gracefully, was intended to preserve the complex headdress of its owner. A prestigious object of the nomads also used as a stool, it also affirmed their social status. The ends feature sylized elephant heads, or horns. Featuring a sturdy braided leather conveyor belt, it features decorative accessories in the form of hair stamps.
Glosspatine glossy black brown, braided leather strap, animal hair pom pompoms. Little information has been gathered about this animist people of southern Sudan. Some of these East African tribes were virtually wiped out by the inter-tribal wars and the Islamic slave trade.

This type of neck-pressing type named musaw or m-baambu, preserved in the bedrooms, is part of African tribal art objects incorporating the category of personal ritual charms of matrilineal leaders and heads of households. It was intended to preserve their magnificent tribal headdresses. This bird would refer to the stork as the master of the sky. Some of these sculptures had magical charges inserted into discrete cavities. Glossy brown patina, scattered abrasions.
Aerarchic and authoritarian, composed of fearsome warriors, Yaka society was ruled by lineage leaders with the right to life and death over their subjects. Hunting and the resulting prestige are an opportunity for the Yaka today to invoke ancestors and to resort to rituals using charms related to the institution .Khosi. ...

Named musaw among the neighbouring Yaka, the mikkumu-neck-supports incorporated regalia sculptures of the ligagne chiefs. Often zoomorphic subjects, these pieces of furniture were intended to support elaborate headdresses and protective charms were frequently attached. The object consists of a round-bump figure on which the curved seat rests. The antelope forms one of the animal subjects also towering at the top of the heaume masks 'hemba' Suku. It refers to the qualities of the savannah animal.
Black brown, glossy on the support, and locally abraded.
The ethnic groups Suku and Yaka recognize common origins and have the same social structure as well as similar cultural practices. They can only be differentiated by their stylistic variations. The mukanda is the name given to ...