Description

Old African Art Songye Fetish Power Figure

Dimension

17  1/2"H    x    4  1/2"W     x   4  1/2"D

Age

20th Century

Age Cracks

Democratic Republic of the Congo

 The 150,000 Songye settled in the southeast of the country have a strong interest in magic, which affects many aspects of their lives. The history of the Songye is closely linked to the Luba’s, to whom they are related through common ancestors. The Songye carvers excel in the production of fetishes and expressionistic masks. Songye fetish figures vary in size from 4” to 60”. They are usually male and stand on a circular base. Strips of metal, applied over the face, counteract evil spirits and aggressors and channel lightings against them. The top of the head and the abdomen are usually hollowed to allow insertion of fetish material, called boanga. These figures adopt a hieratic posture, the hands placed on the abdomen; on top of the head they have a horn reinforcing a disquieting appearance. The fetishist would make the boanga with magic ingredients, which he crumbled and mixed, thus obtaining a paste that was kept in an antelope horn hung from the roof of the house. The magic ingredients consist of a wide variety of animal, vegetal, mineral and human substances that activate and bring into play benevolent ancestral spirits. These ingredients are placed under the horn. The fetishes are intended to ward off evil, to preserve the tribe or the family from hostile powers, sorcerers or evil spirits, and to aid fertility.

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