Kongo Nkisi Nkondi Power Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo / Congo # CRO1542

Nkisi Nkondi Figurine, Congo # Special, rare and old Nkisi Nkondi, from the area around the lower Congo river in former Belgian Congo. There are several aspects that indicate the advanced age of this figurine. The foot shows that the piece is from around 1920 (1910-1940). The beautiful dark patina is also a characteristic of a piece from that period. The iron is hand forged, the eyes are made of glass. A Nkisi is a object inhabited by a spirit. A Nkisi Nkondi (hunter) is considered the most powerful subtype of the Nkisi figures. Villagers turn to Nkisi Nkondis to identify unknown culprits and in some cases to kill them. In order to incite the nkondi to action, nganga fortune tellers must invoke and provoke the spirit that resides in the figure. Gunpowder is first exploded in front of the figure to annoy it and spur action. Nails and metal blades are then hammered into the nkondi to make the spirit angry at the villager's enemy. The reflective glass in the eyes allows the Nkisi Nkondi