Human world
Nkisi nkondi Kozo
Kongo, Landana, Cabinda, late 19th century
Accession Number 9.8.98.43
Many Kongo and other Central Africans believe that spiritual powers derive from communication with the dead. Most of the figures on display in the gallery were made to commemorate important people after their death and to serve as a focus for communication with them. Ordinary people did not usually communicate with the dead, as this required special knowledge and preparations that were available only to chiefs, witches and ‘baganga’ [singular ‘nganga’].
‘Baganga’ were (and still are) ritual specialists, healers and diviners who defend people against witchcraft and disease. In order to ensure the effectiveness of their work they used powerful objects [‘minkisi’, singular ‘nkisi’] containing forces obtained from the graves of the dead. All the nail-studded figures displayed in this section would have been operated by Kongo baganga.
BaKongo say that dogs have ‘four eyes’ - one pair for this world and another for the supernatural world. This may be why this dog figure has two heads. Dogs are also hunters and have a special ability to seek out and attack prey. This dog’s prey was probably witches and other wrong-doers.