RARE PAIR OF NKISI NKONDI POWER FIGURES WITH NAILS – KONGO – DR CONGO - Bakongo - DR Congo (No reserve price)

RARE PAIR OF NKISI NKONDI POWER FIGURES WITH NAILS – KONGO – D.R. CONGO
No. 1
HEIGHT - 31 cm
WIDTH - 12 cm
DIAMETER - 45 cm
HEIGHT ON BASE - 34 cm

No. 2
HEIGHT - 29 cm
WIDTH - 11 cm
DIAMETER - 46 cm
HEIGHT ON BASE - 32 cm


Most nkondi figures had their eyes and medicine pouches made of reflective glass or mirrors, used for divination.

These statuettes, sealing alliances, pacts, and reconciliations within the community, owe their power to the magical charge locked inside the mirror reliquary.

The reflective surface allowed the nkisi to peer into the spirit world and observe its prey. Some Nkondi figures were adorned with feathers. This goes hand in hand with the concept of figures as “beings from above or higher beings,” which associates them with birds of prey.

The creation and use of nkondi figurines was also a very important component of their success. The Banganga often composed nkondi figures away from the village. The village was thought to reflect the human body. The idea that the surroundings and entrances had to be protected from evil spirits concerned both the human body and the village.

When composing the minkisi, the nganga is often isolated in a hidden place, apart from the rest of the village. After the nkisi has been constructed and the nganga has learned to use it well along with the corresponding songs, he returns to the village, his body covered in ritual paints, acting in a strange manner. He would seem to be inhabited by the spirit of the Nkisi.

This strange demeanor illustrates the ngangas’ return to the world of the living. Before using the nkondi, the nganga recites specific invocations to awaken the nkondi and activate its powers. During their performances, the Banganga are often painted.
The white circles around the eyes allowed them to see beyond the physical world and to glimpse the hidden sources of evil and disease. White stripes were painted on the participants present at the ceremony. Very often, the nganga dressed in the same way as his nkondi. The Banganga generally wore clothes that set them apart from ordinary people. They wore adornments (necklaces, bracelets, headdresses...) and often incorporated knots into their clothing. Each knot was a means of binding or sealing spiritual forces.