CONGOLESE BAKOTA RELIQUARY GUARDIAN MBULU NGULU FIGURE. Bakota reliquary guardian figure, specifically an Mbulu Ngulu, placed atop a basket. These figures were traditionally used by the Bakota people of Congo and Gabon to guard baskets containing the bones of revered ancestors. The figure is made of wood and covered with strips of copper, brass, and bronze. The basket itself appears to be made of woven material, possibly rattan or a similar plant fiber. Reliquary figures symbolically represent the ancestor and are believed to protect the relics within. - Height:. Estimate $200-1,250
