Extremely Rare Antique & Large Expressive African statues from the Songye, Congo. This type of statue serves the Kifwebe secret society and embodies a protective spirit; its hand is carved from a single piece of wood, with medicinal herbs placed on the back of the head for prayer and healing rituals. During the 16th century, the Songye migrated from the Shaba area, which is now the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their history is closely linked to the Luba's, to whom the Songye are related through common ancestors. Having waged war against one another for a long time, the Songye and Luba later allied to fight the Arabs. They settled on the left bank of the Lualaba River, on a savanna and forest-covered plateau.
