Kongo Nkisi Nkondi Kozo dog fetish
Fetishes in African Bakongo art
Art is rich and varied in Kongo country. Within the stylistic corpus of objects from the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are numerous animal figures, including dogs. In Kongo iconography, dogs have four eyes for this world and two for the other, which explains their great clairvoyance. The Bakisi are spirits of the earth, and objects only have value if they are consecrated by the nganga, who adds various magical ingredients to them. To be effective, invocation of the nkisi must be accompanied by an incantation and a sacrifice.
This Nkisi Nkondi Kozo fetish representing a Kongo dog is part of the magical sculptures of the Kongo people. It has the particularity of having a nice light patina, perhaps indicating a moderate ritual use, which clearly offers the possibility of determining a significant age of the wood which is dry. The purpose of these sculptures is to protect, to ensure that the forbidden are observed, to ward off disease and to ensure success for the hunter and warrior.
As for the nail function on these fetishes, when the natives wish to obtain something from their fetish, they drive a nail into it so that the sensation reminds it of the request and so that it does not forget the prayer that was addressed to it. As for the iron points, they are used to solve a problem that is proposed, they are licked before being ritually introduced into the wood.
01213
Data sheet
- Presumed dating
- Mid XXth century
- Size
- 11 x 32 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Origin
- Tribal art collection Belgium
- Condition
- Excellent
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Fetishes in African Bakongo art
Art is rich and varied in Kongo country. Within the stylistic corpus of objects from the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are numerous animal figures, including dogs. In Kongo iconography, dogs have four eyes for this world and two for the other, which explains their great clairvoyance. The Bakisi are spirits of the earth, and objects only have value if they are consecrated by the nganga, who adds various magical ingredients to them. To be effective, invocation of the nkisi must be accompanied by an incantation and a sacrifice.
This Nkisi Nkondi Kozo fetish representing a Kongo dog is part of the magical sculptures of the Kongo people. It has the particularity of having a nice light patina, perhaps indicating a moderate ritual use, which clearly offers the possibility of determining a significant age of the wood which is dry. The purpose of these sculptures is to protect, to ensure that the forbidden are observed, to ward off disease and to ensure success for the hunter and warrior.
As for the nail function on these fetishes, when the natives wish to obtain something from their fetish, they drive a nail into it so that the sensation reminds it of the request and so that it does not forget the prayer that was addressed to it. As for the iron points, they are used to solve a problem that is proposed, they are licked before being ritually introduced into the wood.