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拍品專文
A Master Sculptor of Power, Nkishi, Figures Amongst the Songye Kalebwe
More than a century after its creation, this magnificent statue still continues to radiate power. It is part of a small group of important community power figures collected by Dr. Lucien Van Hoorde in 1934-1935. Although the top of the tin can covering the umbilical cavity states ‘imported from Italy’, this statue comes from the Kalebwe (a Songye group), situated between Tshofa and Kabinda. We know this because the statue was accompanied with precise information about its origin. The unpublished notes by its collector furthermore state it formed part of the cache of the secret society called ya Ntambwe or ya Nkimo. Van Hoorde collected 6 important Kalebwe figures in total (one sold by Sotheby’s, Paris, 23 June 2006, lot 131) and recorded the following individual names: ya Wukumkishi, ya Kasongo, ya Thsykudi, ya Muluba, ya Ntambwe, and ya Ukimo – unfortunately, it is no longer clear which figure carried each name (Hersak citation).
The skill and local fame of this Master Carver is exemplified by the fact that two other statues from his hand have survived. A first was published by François Neyt in 2004 (p. 232, #198), it is exactly the same height and still displays remnants of its original headgear. These kind of attachments were the most perishable aspects of a figure. When they arrived in Europe, works were also often stripped of their headgear. A second statue by this hand is in the Collection of the Institut des Musees Nationaux du Zaire, Kinshasa (#73-153-2) (published in Neyt, 2004: p. 244, #206). The morphological features of these three statues are nearly identical. Perhaps the most memorable features are the wide open mouth with protruding lips (the upper lip indented) and the prominent rounded nostrils – framed by sheaths of copper both features are even more heavily accentuated. The big, open semi-circular ears have a clear triangular tragus. Our figure is the only one of the three with the most finely carved beard and distinctive jaw line making the work resonate as best work of this sculptor.
The work of this particular artist has particular gravitas owing to the tall and overall large proportions of the sculpture. The most obvious characteristic of Songye figures as a corpus is their rigid frontality, a pose of dignity and strength. The head is particularly emphasized, it is the focal point of the sculpture. Strips of copper appliqué and studs are attached to the face to augment the power of the nkishi. Two features on the head of this figure, the large mouth and bulbous crania, require additional consideration since their forms are also important functionally. Some mankishi were fed through the mouth, or magical substances were inserted there-in, hence the exaggeration in the size of this feature. As for the bulbous head, it was originally covered by a headdress of feathers. Stripped of this gear its pronounced roundedness is revealed. The principal feature affecting the form of the upper body is the articulation of the belly. The protruding abdomen is a sign of fertility, which relates simultaneously to the ancestors and the new-born, hence to the continuation of the lineage. In addition to the development of the abdomen, the position of the arms adds weight and volume to the central part of the body. Their rigidly angular position emphasizes the thick body form. Holes have been pierced at the armpits to accommodate carrying poles. The figure is standing on a large plinth, which is split in two in the middle, so that it seems to emerge from the original block of wood. The legs and feet are covered with a chiefly raffia skirt.
Spirits of the dead (mikishi) were of great importance in Songye ritual practices. These ancestral spirits were invoked by the living through the material being of a wooden male power figure called nkishi (plur. mankishi). This is not to say that they inhabited the figure, rather they were believed to communicate and project their power through the medium. Only recognized specialists, known as banganga (sing. nganga), possessed the knowledge to deal with these spirits. They were responsible for the activation of the mankishi and served as an intermediary between spirits and men. There are two types of mankishi; generally the large figures served the needs of a community, usually one village, whereas the small ones were more personal. Most community mankishi served a wide range of social needs such as procreation, protection against illness, sorcery, witchcraft, and war.
CT-scans of similar community power figures have revealed a network of connected channels within the body: a vertical channel extends from the top of the head down to the stomach cavity, with horizontal openings that connect at ears, mouth and stomach. The essence of the mystical force of an nkishi derived from combinations of material substances inserted into these cavities. These ingredients, called bishimba, were assembled and inserted by the nganga. Attached to the raffia loincloth of our figure, we find a wooden double-ended pestle which would be used to crush the different substances. Without the bishimba, a figure had no purpose and it was regarded simply as ‘a piece of wood’.
The power figures were kept in a small shelter located in the center of the village. Public appearances of the nkishi occurred during important public rituals such as the new moon rites. The nkishi was then taken outdoors and wooden poles (bikumba) were attached with raffia string under its arms. The statues were deemed to sacred to be touched by hand. Two villagers would carry the figure by its poles through the village confronting malign spirits. The extensive wear under the statue’s armpits indicate it made numerous such walks during its long ritual lifetime.
More than a century after its creation, this magnificent statue still continues to radiate power. It is part of a small group of important community power figures collected by Dr. Lucien Van Hoorde in 1934-1935. Although the top of the tin can covering the umbilical cavity states ‘imported from Italy’, this statue comes from the Kalebwe (a Songye group), situated between Tshofa and Kabinda. We know this because the statue was accompanied with precise information about its origin. The unpublished notes by its collector furthermore state it formed part of the cache of the secret society called ya Ntambwe or ya Nkimo. Van Hoorde collected 6 important Kalebwe figures in total (one sold by Sotheby’s, Paris, 23 June 2006, lot 131) and recorded the following individual names: ya Wukumkishi, ya Kasongo, ya Thsykudi, ya Muluba, ya Ntambwe, and ya Ukimo – unfortunately, it is no longer clear which figure carried each name (Hersak citation).
The skill and local fame of this Master Carver is exemplified by the fact that two other statues from his hand have survived. A first was published by François Neyt in 2004 (p. 232, #198), it is exactly the same height and still displays remnants of its original headgear. These kind of attachments were the most perishable aspects of a figure. When they arrived in Europe, works were also often stripped of their headgear. A second statue by this hand is in the Collection of the Institut des Musees Nationaux du Zaire, Kinshasa (#73-153-2) (published in Neyt, 2004: p. 244, #206). The morphological features of these three statues are nearly identical. Perhaps the most memorable features are the wide open mouth with protruding lips (the upper lip indented) and the prominent rounded nostrils – framed by sheaths of copper both features are even more heavily accentuated. The big, open semi-circular ears have a clear triangular tragus. Our figure is the only one of the three with the most finely carved beard and distinctive jaw line making the work resonate as best work of this sculptor.
The work of this particular artist has particular gravitas owing to the tall and overall large proportions of the sculpture. The most obvious characteristic of Songye figures as a corpus is their rigid frontality, a pose of dignity and strength. The head is particularly emphasized, it is the focal point of the sculpture. Strips of copper appliqué and studs are attached to the face to augment the power of the nkishi. Two features on the head of this figure, the large mouth and bulbous crania, require additional consideration since their forms are also important functionally. Some mankishi were fed through the mouth, or magical substances were inserted there-in, hence the exaggeration in the size of this feature. As for the bulbous head, it was originally covered by a headdress of feathers. Stripped of this gear its pronounced roundedness is revealed. The principal feature affecting the form of the upper body is the articulation of the belly. The protruding abdomen is a sign of fertility, which relates simultaneously to the ancestors and the new-born, hence to the continuation of the lineage. In addition to the development of the abdomen, the position of the arms adds weight and volume to the central part of the body. Their rigidly angular position emphasizes the thick body form. Holes have been pierced at the armpits to accommodate carrying poles. The figure is standing on a large plinth, which is split in two in the middle, so that it seems to emerge from the original block of wood. The legs and feet are covered with a chiefly raffia skirt.
Spirits of the dead (mikishi) were of great importance in Songye ritual practices. These ancestral spirits were invoked by the living through the material being of a wooden male power figure called nkishi (plur. mankishi). This is not to say that they inhabited the figure, rather they were believed to communicate and project their power through the medium. Only recognized specialists, known as banganga (sing. nganga), possessed the knowledge to deal with these spirits. They were responsible for the activation of the mankishi and served as an intermediary between spirits and men. There are two types of mankishi; generally the large figures served the needs of a community, usually one village, whereas the small ones were more personal. Most community mankishi served a wide range of social needs such as procreation, protection against illness, sorcery, witchcraft, and war.
CT-scans of similar community power figures have revealed a network of connected channels within the body: a vertical channel extends from the top of the head down to the stomach cavity, with horizontal openings that connect at ears, mouth and stomach. The essence of the mystical force of an nkishi derived from combinations of material substances inserted into these cavities. These ingredients, called bishimba, were assembled and inserted by the nganga. Attached to the raffia loincloth of our figure, we find a wooden double-ended pestle which would be used to crush the different substances. Without the bishimba, a figure had no purpose and it was regarded simply as ‘a piece of wood’.
The power figures were kept in a small shelter located in the center of the village. Public appearances of the nkishi occurred during important public rituals such as the new moon rites. The nkishi was then taken outdoors and wooden poles (bikumba) were attached with raffia string under its arms. The statues were deemed to sacred to be touched by hand. Two villagers would carry the figure by its poles through the village confronting malign spirits. The extensive wear under the statue’s armpits indicate it made numerous such walks during its long ritual lifetime.