Wood Nail Fetish

One arm goes straight up, as if volunteering.

This nail fetish is wood and glass. Figures of this kind are most often associated with the Kongo peoples of Central Africa, where nails, blades and attached bundles are generally understood to carry the figure's protective charge. The tall dark figure has inset eyes, an open mouth and a ridged cap. A dense nest of iron, cord and red cloth covers the chest, around a white-painted box with a raised panel, and a bundle is bound to the back. Long straight legs rest on a plinth. It is 11 inches wide and 56 high.

It has clearly been asked to remember a great deal.