Old Tribal Bakongo Mask with Fetish / Nkisi Nails and Head Cap. Manyanga Tribe. Kongo Kingdom. DRC. Africa
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The Manyanga tribe live on the right bank of the Zaire (aka Congo) River. The location is near the tributary of the Lefini River.
This is a relatively unknown tribe whose artists are known for their elongated faces, rounded cheeks, carefully rendered faces and nails.
This is a fetish that primarily functions to drive away sorcerers, witches and very evil spirits.
Carved from a single piece of wood with color pigments, abrus (aka jequirity) beans, nails, raffia fibers and cloth. On the forehead, there is a small box filled with medicine and closed with a mirror. In addition, the mask has glass/mirror eyes.
I was told that this mask was brought to the Netherlands in the late 1950s by a missionary family. It has been in the Netherlands until I acquired it recently.
Rare and old, suitable for the Serious Collector. Stand not included.