Fetish strongman - YOMBE - DR Congo

A strong Nkisi/Nkondi fetish power figure of the Yombe people living in Congo. A traditional spiritual artwork. In local culture these objects are not called fetishes (a European term), but minkisi (singular nkisi), meaning medicine or spiritual reservoir. They are powerful figures into which nails, blades, or pieces of metal are driven. Each piece of metal marks a spell, an oath, a contract, or a resolved communal dispute. By driving a nail into it, the spirit is awakened or urged to safeguard the agreement and punish the violators.
Many Yombe figures, like this one, have realistically carved faces with striking inlaid glass eyes that look clear and awake. This represents clairvoyance and the ability to look through the material world.
From the collection of the famous French collector Alain Bruno. Now in my personal collection in the Netherlands.
Materials: wood, metal, glass, textile, fibers, ritual materials.