Demi-figure fétiche "nkisi" ·  R. D. Congo, Songye · ID: 3041585

Description

wood, brown patina, decorating tags, metal sheet, cowrie snails, necklace with animal teeth and glass beads, coiffure from animal skin and feathers, tube from reptile skin contaning magical mass around the waist, hole in the navel closed by a separately carved plug, min. dam., insect caused missing parts, fine cracks, traces of abrasion, base;
metal strips on forehead and nose bridge are said to relate to lightning. Thus on the “nkisi” this facial sign seems to signal its dual capacity to counteract and redirect aggressive action against the evildoer.