This unusual and large fetish depicts a tortoise with splayed legs, supporting a contortion of wrapped attachments on its back. Among these attachments is a gourd container with an inserted carved wooden stopper, featuring a large rounded head with circular ears, a long slender nose and white glass beaded eyes. At the top of the head is a fetish hole.
A wooden bell-shaped object is also attached to the side, with a fetish bundle covered in cloth placed inside its entrance. The purpose of this bundle would have been to empower the fetish. At the rear is an animal horn, with the entrance showing evidence that it had a functional purpose during the ritual of traditional healing. The fetish comes from the Zigua culture who inhabit the Tanga region of north-eastern Tanzania. The Zigua often use the animal form in their fetish objects.
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century
Height: 39cm
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