Belonging to the private collection of the Portuguese Elísio Romariz dos Santos Silva, according to Angop, these pieces ended up being sold at auction, this Monday, by the heirs of the Portuguese, who lived in Angola for many years.
The return of these 36 pieces 'home' will contribute to the enrichment of the national cultural collection, also highlighting the country's heritage, according to a statement from the Angolan Embassy in Portugal, cited by Angop.
According to the embassy, its commitment to recovering the largest number of pieces from this collection is part of the national effort so that future generations can interact directly with the national crafts developed in the 50s, 60s and 70s and end up reinforcing its cultural roots.
A 'Mwana Pó' mask, according to the embassy, was one of the pieces that the State was unable to win, due to the high bidding price, situated at 110 thousand euros.
According to data cited by Angop, the Dundo Museum ended up being the place where Elísio Romariz dos Santos Silva developed the contacts that allowed him to deepen his interest in Angolan culture, and he also participated in the creation of the Lobito Ethnography Museum.
In addition to pieces from Angola, the aforementioned auction also featured pieces from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and Liberia.
