Tokoloshi (Power Figure)

Tokoloshi Figure
Wood, textile, pigment
Size in cm: 44 x 10 x 10
Weight: 300g

The tokoloshi is a magical figure which is highly feared in the traditional Owambo Culture of Namibia. According to elders, the tokoloshi being comes at nighttime and brings along death. Strong believers in this mythological being have a fear of sleeping in direct contact with the ground, since saying goes, that the soul will be taken from there, while asleep. The overall power of this figure remains questionable if it would bring bad luck or simply a form of spiritual protection. The Owambo society live in the northern part of Namibia and its surrounding border countries like Angola and Botswana. This piece however is sourced from Namibia.

Nkishi Figure (Power Figure)

Nkishi Figure
Wood, textile, horn, sea shells (cowry shells)
Size in cm: 65 x 21 x 15
Weight: 3kg

This figure is a power figure which protects the villagers from dark and evil forces. From carefully calculated correspondences the prominent stomach and large protruding head with its massive horn creates a very aggressive and powerful image, tempered by the perfection of the textiles and the beauty of the shining surface. Always with african art of such kind, the sea shells indicate the ritual power of such an artefact. Most probably the ears served as a magical element of some sort and the expressive sculpture is carved in a Songye style, with hands placed on either side of the abdomen. The Songye live on the left bank of the Lualaba River in an area of savanna crossed by numerous major river systems.