Tribal Art

Consecrated by the nganga, equipped with symbolic accessories and talismans placed between the metal elements, this statuette meets the criteria of nksi objects. The Vili produced a variety of carvings for individual use nkisi, to which multiple virtues were attributed.
The Vili , the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembe, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by King ntotela . With the same beliefs and traditions, their statuary is endowed with a codified gesture in relation to their vision of the world. Present along the Gabonese coast, the Vili broke away from the Kongo kingdom in the 16th century and the Loango kingdom became a powerful state. The nganga sorcerers, both healers, were in charge of religious activities and mediation towards the God called Nzambi through consecrated figures. To this end, individual protective figures nkisis, to protect against sorcery and various plagues, are made and loaded by the nganga with all the necessary ingredients to achieve this purpose. .