H x W x D: 26.5 × 8.5 × 8.5 cm (10 7/16 × 3 3/8 × 3 3/8 in.)
Type:
Figure
Geography:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date:
Late 19th to early 20th century
Label Text:
The term nkisi (pl. minkisi) has no English equivalent. In the past "fetish" and "power figure" have been used as brief identifiers, but they do not convey the word's meaning. A nkisi is the physical container for a spirit from the other world, the land of the dead. When activated by a specialist, or nganga, it has the power to heal, to protect or to punish. Minkisi can be dramatic wooden sculptures with added empowering substances, or they can be ordinary containers such as pots, net bags and baskets. An active nkisi requires the rituals of its nganga, and it always contains medicines, materials with potential spiritual powers. This figure was carved without lower arms or genitalis since this region of the body would have been covered by empowering materials. Not only are the activating materials missing but it once had a personal name and invocations that are now lost to us.
Description:
Wood standing figure, no lower arms, peaked hairstyle.
Provenance:
Mr. Mahauden, Belgian colonial family, 20 years resident to before WWII
Marc Leo Felix, Brussels, -- to 1981
Harold Gray, 1981 to 2015
Content Statement:
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