Closely related to the Songye and the Hemba, the Kusu is a Luba-sized people situated in the present-day Maniema province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Little is known of their historical origins. Kusu sculpture includes standing ancestor figures reminiscent of Hemba sculpture and power figures in the same overall form as Songye power figures. Hallmarks of the Kusu style include generally stout proportions, and often a rounded, dome-like forehead and a wide inverted-triangular jawline, often with a very thick neck.
The present figure is remarkable for its great age and size. To avoid disrupting the magical attachments, power figures were moved and manipulated using wood poles attached under the arms with fibre or metal rings.
- Material: Wood
- Condition: Good
- Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo
- SKU: L-STA-120
- Weight: 2.1 kg
- Dimensions: 14 x 44 x 12 cm