N'konde Figure
People: Kongo
Medium: Wood, other various materials and objects
The n’konde figure is an apotropaic power figure that was used by the Kongo people to for numerous reasons. The most common, however, was to ward off evil. These figures were believed to destroy evil spirits, possibly prevent illnesses, make right a wrongdoing upon someone by punishing the wrongdoer, or marking an agreement between two people. These figures often had nails driven into them and acquired an accumulation of other objects such as ropes or cloth. Often a diviner had to use his power to activate the statue. This could be done by putting more powerful substances on it such as blood, sweat, or spit among other things. The appearance of these figures was often unpleasant or scary, which could be the reason why Europeans wanted them destroyed.[1]
Medium: Wood, other various materials and objects
The n’konde figure is an apotropaic power figure that was used by the Kongo people to for numerous reasons. The most common, however, was to ward off evil. These figures were believed to destroy evil spirits, possibly prevent illnesses, make right a wrongdoing upon someone by punishing the wrongdoer, or marking an agreement between two people. These figures often had nails driven into them and acquired an accumulation of other objects such as ropes or cloth. Often a diviner had to use his power to activate the statue. This could be done by putting more powerful substances on it such as blood, sweat, or spit among other things. The appearance of these figures was often unpleasant or scary, which could be the reason why Europeans wanted them destroyed.[1]
[1] Monica Visona, Robin Poynor, and Herbert Cole, A History of Art in Africa, (Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008), 350.