When the spirit of the deceased appears in the
dreams of the living and complains about the
lack of a body, a kigango funerary post is
erected. Vigango (plural of kigango) are not
necessarily grave markers, for they do not mark
the physical remains of the deceased. Instead,
their role is to provide a new abode, in essence a
new body, for the spirit of the deceased. In
order to be honored with a kigango, the
deceased had to be an important, and wealthy,
member of the Giryama tribe.
Apparently, the individual had to be initiated into
one of the numerous societies that structure the
rules of Giryama society. Some would argue that
only members of the gohu society, which is
concerned with the consumption and distribution
of wealth, are honored with such works. Indeed,
membership in the gohu society was in itself a
prestigious sign of wealth. Vigango are generally
placed inside the men’s conversation hut of a
homestead, easily accessible to the elder male of
the clan, whose duty it is to pay frequent
libations to the spirit of the deceased as
represented by the kigango. Libations range
from palm wine poured into small coconut shells
placed at the base of the work to sacrificed
chickens or goats. Animals are only sacrificed to
honor a kigango if dreams or misfortune
recommend it. The animals are slaughtered
nearby the work, allowing the blood to nourish
the spirit of the deceased. This kigango is
decorated with a characteristic pattern of incised
triangle that are sometimes said to represent
human ribs.
This work is unusual because the triangular
notches carved into the sides, which normally
signify the termination of the decorative
patterns, here serve as part of the pattern and
enhance the overall adornment. The abstracted
head is depicted as a two-dimension, flat circle
incised with three squares, two for the eyes and
one for the mouth. While the hard wood is very
durable (one can tell which part of the work
rested in the ground), vigango where only
venerated so long as the spirit of the deceased
remained fresh in the minds of his ancestors.
Over time, the memory of the deceased would
fade away as generations passed by and the
kigango would be neglected, then forgotten
when the homestead would be abandoned for
brighter pastures.
While the spirit of the deceased may have
become comfortable with his lack of a body and
vanished from this wooden replacement, this
empty shell of a spirit serves as a beautiful
memorial to a life cut short. Furthermore, we are
able to appreciate this kigango for its whimsical
abstraction of the human form, a stunning
depiction that is both instantly recognizable and
yet aesthetically pleasing. This would be a
worthy addition to any African art collection.