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This Bembe statue constitutes a link between the afterlife and the living. It represents an ancestor from a noble lineage, with the root in his mouth, signifying his level of power. Not everyone who dies reaches the level of ancestor. This sacralization is reserved for personalities such as heads of families, dignitaries, great hunters, or reknowed blacksmith... These important people have to be reknown for the good they did towards the community during their lifetime. At their death, their bodies have to go through "the cult of the dead", a set of special ceremonies. In Kongo tradition, ancestors, who have access to invisible forces, have the duty to protect the living. The latter have, in exchange, the obligation to take care of the ancestor's memory and to venerate their earthly representation. The statue, thus, has to be regularly honored and maintained.
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