Nzambi was the supreme god for all in the Kongo Kingdom, and the intermediary representations included
land and sky spirits and ancestor spirits, all of whom were represented in nkisi objects.
When an individual encountered hardship and
feared that a spirit had been offended, it would be necessary to
consult a diviner (nganga), who would often instruct the afflicted to
add medicines to certain nkisi in order to achieve well-being.
Although the Portuguese attempted to Christianize the Kongo peoples
as early as 1485, for the most part people either resisted entirely or
incorporated Christian iconography into their own African religions.
Height: 9 ½" x Width: 3 ¼" x Depth: 3 ⅜".
On a custom stand.
Ex Jean Pierre Hallet 1970’s Ex Sally Fall, and ex our personal collection.
