In a milestone for the ongoing restitution process between Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Royal Museum for Central Africa (AfricaMuseum) has finalized the return of a rare 19th-century Lele ancestral mask. The mask, characterized by its distinctive flattened facial plane and intricate copper-wire inlay, was acquired under coercive circumstances during the colonial period.
The return of the mask is part of a broader bilateral agreement that includes the restitution of cultural objects and the sharing of digital archives. During the handover in Kinshasa, representatives of the Lele community noted that the mask represents an essential link to their ancestors and the restoration of cultural dignity. The artifact will be permanently housed in the newly modernized National Museum of the DRC, where it will be used for educational programs regarding pre-colonial artistic traditions.