Figurine

Museum number:
5-1701
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21050001701
Accession number:
Acc.1302
Description:
Carved wooden figurine-fetish, “Mbembi.” Height 45.73 cm. Acquired from Kingandu mission. All figurines (5-1701-9) had been collected by the missionaries in 1955-56 at the time when at anti-witchcraft/anti-”fetish” movement was sweeping the region. The people were throwing out their medicines and taing Holy Water from the missions instead. The “fetishes” were piled up, by the hundreds, and burned. The missionaries collected some from these piles, and Mr. Kopytoff acquired these figurines from the mission in 1958. From this, it may be inferred that the figurines are relatively old. At the same time, since there had been a similar “anti-fetish” movement in the early 1940’s, it is possible that these figurines were actually carved and used in the interim (1940/44-1955)
Donor:
Igor Kopytoff and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Central Africa
Verbatim coll. place:
Africa; Bambala
Culture or time period:
Mbala
Materials:
Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Fetishes and Figurines
Function:
5.0 Use not specified (Ritual, Pageantry, and Recreation)
Accession date:
1960
Department:
Africa (except Ancient Egypt)
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1701, described as Carved wooden figurine-fetish, “Mbembi.” Height 45.73 cm. Acquired from Kingandu mission. All figurines (5-1701-9) had been collected by the missionaries in 1955-56 at the time when at anti-witchcraft/anti-”fetish” movement was sweeping the region. The people were throwing out their medicines and taing Holy Water from the missions instead. The “fetishes” were piled up, by the hundreds, and burned. The missionaries collected some from these piles, and Mr. Kopytoff acquired these figurines from the mission in 1958. From this, it may be inferred that the figurines are relatively old. At the same time, since there had been a similar “anti-fetish” movement in the early 1940’s, it is possible that these figurines were actually carved and used in the interim (1940/44-1955)
Legacy documentation:
Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1701, described as Carved wooden figurine-fetish, “Mbembi.” Height 45.73 cm. Acquired from Kingandu mission. All figurines (5-1701-9) had been collected by the missionaries in 1955-56 at the time when at anti-witchcraft/anti-”fetish” movement was sweeping the region. The people were throwing out their medicines and taing Holy Water from the missions instead. The “fetishes” were piled up, by the hundreds, and burned. The missionaries collected some from these piles, and Mr. Kopytoff acquired these figurines from the mission in 1958. From this, it may be inferred that the figurines are relatively old. At the same time, since there had been a similar “anti-fetish” movement in the early 1940’s, it is possible that these figurines were actually carved and used in the interim (1940/44-1955)Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1701, described as Carved wooden figurine-fetish, “Mbembi.” Height 45.73 cm. Acquired from Kingandu mission. All figurines (5-1701-9) had been collected by the missionaries in 1955-56 at the time when at anti-witchcraft/anti-”fetish” movement was sweeping the region. The people were throwing out their medicines and taing Holy Water from the missions instead. The “fetishes” were piled up, by the hundreds, and burned. The missionaries collected some from these piles, and Mr. Kopytoff acquired these figurines from the mission in 1958. From this, it may be inferred that the figurines are relatively old. At the same time, since there had been a similar “anti-fetish” movement in the early 1940’s, it is possible that these figurines were actually carved and used in the interim (1940/44-1955)Documentation associated with Hearst Museum object titled Figurine, accession number 5-1701, described as Carved wooden figurine-fetish, “Mbembi.” Height 45.73 cm. Acquired from Kingandu mission. All figurines (5-1701-9) had been collected by the missionaries in 1955-56 at the time when at anti-witchcraft/anti-”fetish” movement was sweeping the region. The people were throwing out their medicines and taing Holy Water from the missions instead. The “fetishes” were piled up, by the hundreds, and burned. The missionaries collected some from these piles, and Mr. Kopytoff acquired these figurines from the mission in 1958. From this, it may be inferred that the figurines are relatively old. At the same time, since there had been a similar “anti-fetish” movement in the early 1940’s, it is possible that these figurines were actually carved and used in the interim (1940/44-1955)

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