NKISI

May 30, 2013

Call me Nkonde The Congo is where I was born Nganga carved my flesh out of wood When my land was taken by foreign scorn My father is a holy man Heeling the village of problems and pains He placed magic in my belly To drive out cures with nails of the maimed If eyes are windows to the soul Come see your soul through my eyes The more you consult me The more power that will reside Beware a twin of greater strength Malevolence is its game Sentencing punishments to evildoers Nkondi is its name

Something wrong with this poem?

Replies are closed for this poem.

Your Poem's Voice

See what makes your poem unique — its voice, energy, themes, and the literary traditions it draws from.

Comments (1)

MoneMay 30, 2013

I was inspired by the Nkisi, an African piece of art that I seen when visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. I have learned that no Nkisi looks alike, but all serve the same purpose. I felt very drawn to it, like it almost came alive for me. Out of all of the exhibits I visited this is the piece that stuck out the most. Nkisi is the name of this type of talisman. The Nkonde and Nkondi are two types of Nkisi. The Nkonde is supposed to be benevolent, used mostly for solving crisis, heeling and curing sickness. The Nkondi is supposed be a lot more powerful, having similar uses but is said to be more malevolent, focusing on punishing criminals and "evildoers". From what I researched they were very prominent during the 19th and 20th centuries, when missionaries came to the Congo trying to convert the natives to Christianity. The nails in these statues are said to be influenced by Christianity; mainly by Jesus and how he was crucified.