Tribal Art

African Kongo art and its spiritual receptacles
This village fetish relating to the khimba society, has, in Kongo tribal culture, a protective function against witchcraft. This tribal sculpture studded with nails is qualified as a "nkisi" object thanks to the cylindrical receptacle on the abdomen loaded with "bilongo" magical ingredients (organic and vegetable matter). It is closed by a mirror on which a resin has been applied. The glazed look constituting the famous Kongo look suggests an extralucid capacity.

Matt patina, polychrome highlights, cracks. In the 13th century, the Kongo people, led by their king Ne Kongo, settled in a region at the crossroads between the present-day DRC, Angola and Gabon. Two centuries later, the Portuguese came into contact with the Kongo and converted their king to Christianity. The witch doctors nganga , both healers, were in charge of religious activities and mediation towards the God called Nzambi through these consecrated figures. Aggressive witchcraft kindoki is the absolute evil that must be fought. To this end, protective nkisis figures are made and loaded by the nganga with all the necessary ingredients to achieve this goal. It is not the morphology of the sculpture that determines its use, but whatever is added to the receptacle built for this purpose.