Zigua Mummy Fetish

In Bantu languages, such as Swahili, people from the Zigua tribe are called Wazigua, while a single person from that tribe is called Mzigua. Most scholars believe that the Wazigua are the founders of Goshaland along the Juba River, a safe haven for runaway slaves. Late in the 19th century, Egypt, Zanzibar, Italy, and Britain recognized this haven as an independent entity. Although other gama (autonomous communities) later existed in Goshaland, the Wazigua remained as an autonomous society with a distinct political structure. That is probably why the Goshaland people are generally known by the name of their founders, the Wazigua. This revered group of people, the Zigua, are best known in the art world for the fetish presented above. A figure is first carved from a single selection of hard wood then carefully wrapped around in strips of material by the village spiritualist. The bands of material is then saturated with a magical liquid substance which is allowed to harden into the strips. This unique creation is believed to protect the owner from the malevolent spirit of someone recently deceased. Perhaps this person was a well known enemy of the owner or a person that the owner secretly knew could harbor ill will towards him or her. In any event, the material bands were wrapped around the owner to completely protect him. Our fetish has obtained a deep patina and has obvious signs of wear on the face. This figure is also regarded as a "mummy" fetish."

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