According to Felix (1987: 14), the Biombo constitute a tiny Kete-speaking population of Kete-Kuba stock who became separated “probably when the Bushoong tried to dominate the area and impose their system,” reestablishing themselves to the east and south and coming under considerable Eastern Pende influence. Yet in their artistic corpus, the influence of the Kete and Kuba peoples remains preponderant. The mask at hand, called muluala, is also found among the aforementioned groups; it features chameleon eyes and was employed at the funerals of important personages.

REFERENCES

Felix, Marc Leo. 100 Peoples of Zaire and Their Sculpture: The Handbook.

Brussels: Zaire Basin Art History Research Foundation, 1987.