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Phemba Figure

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Phemba is the term given to mother and child statues made by the Yombe people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mother's cross-legged pose and patterned skull cap called a 'mpu' indicate her high rank. Phemba are ancestral statues representing the founding mother of the Yombe tribe. Phemba may also be associated with maternity groups and fertility rites and therefore enhance fertility. The Yombe is a matrilineal society meaning descent follows the mother's line rather than the father's as in Western societies so mother figures are important.

Product code

AAA1142

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