Pair of Congolese Baluba Hand-Carved Wenge Wood Figural Bookends. The wood, similar to ebony, has a smooth, rich, dark finish, and both figures share similarities, though one is feminine and the other masculine on the front appearance. Both of them have flat rectangular backs to their heads and bodies, as well as identical headdresses. 

Size: 3 1/2 x 4 x 10 1/2 in. 

The Baluba people (also known as Luba) are a major Bantu ethno-linguistic group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with a rich history dating back to at least the 5th century AD, originating around the Upemba Depression before settling in the Katanga, Kasai, and Maniema regions. A leader named Nkongolo Mwamba rose to power in the 15th Century, establishing a powerful, centralized kingdom known as the Luba Empire renowned for advanced ironworking, trade in copper and salt, intricate art, and a complex political structure that was governed from then on by a king called the Mulopwe and a network of chiefs. This model had a profound effect on most surrounding tribes, and spread throughout much of Central Africa before the encroachment of European colonizers that destroyed their Empire in the late 19th Century. After 80 years under brutal Belgian rule as part of the Congo, the country gained its independence in 1960, but continued to face geopolitical challenges as modern nations sought to exploit its many resources, and today the Baluba are the largest surviving ethnic group in the DRC, with its 10 million people highly influential in the current cultural and political landscape. 

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