VIGANGO: A WOODTURNER'S JOURNEY AND INTERPRETATION OF AFRICAN FUNERARY POSTS
by Dick Gerard
Intro/background
The vigango (sing. kigango) of the Giryama are not necessarily grave-markers, although there has been much confusion over this in the literature: vigango are sometimes placed on the site of graves, but normally not. Their role is not to indicate the location of physical remains but to provide a new abode - a new body, indeed - for the spirit of the deceased. Like the smaller and less elaborate koma pegs, together with which they form a sort of genealogical map for the household, vigango are erected some time after the death of an individual, usually only when the spirit of the deceased indicates discontent with its lack of a body by appearing in a dream to some living relative.
Among the Giryama (but perhaps less so among some neighboring groups, such as the Jibana, Chonyi and Kauma, who also erect vigango) koma and vigango often stand in the men's conversation hut in a homestead, readily accessible to the elder male of the homestead, whose prerogative it is to pour palm wine into small coconut-shell cups set at the base of these ancestral memorials. This is done at regular intervals. If dreams or misfortune recommend it, the elder male may also slaughter a chicken or goat by the memorials, so that the blood goes to nourish the spirits. Generally, it is only the ancestors of the male head of the homestead who are so embodied
within the homestead; his wife or wives will not usually have vigango or koma for their ancestors, and if they do these are not prominently placed.
There is some debate about the distinction between the koma pegs and these vigango, and what this signifies. Physically, the differences are readily apparent. Koma are small soft-wood pegs, standing only about 12 inches out of the ground,
and carved in the most rudimentary way, with a slight waisting (possibly phallic) indicating that the koma is that of a male ancestor; they are occasionally 'dressed' with strips of cloth. Vigango are much taller, standing 50 – 80 inches out of the ground, and are carved from mkone hardwood (which resists the attentions of termites); they are evidently anthropomorphic, usually decorated with incised triangles and often also originally painted with red, white and black. In the 19th century some had silver dollars in place of eyes. They are much more expensive, elaborate and enduring.
The difference - the fundamental question of to whom a kigango may be erected, and to whom only a koma - is partly one of gender: there seem to be no vigango for women. But not all men get them either. Membership in the all male gohu secret society is an absolute requirement. Membership in the gohu is essentially concerned with the conspicuous consumption of wealth. Admission to membership is by invitation only. The rituals involved in the erection of a kigango are very much more costly than those for a koma peg. The very name vigango, which comes from a verbal root referring to 'binding, splicing', suggests the special power of wealthy elder males and the healing force which that power may have when used by the spirits of the deceased.
There are, however, suggestions that the difference between koma and vigango essentially relates to mobility (and perhaps reproducibility), and that there is a historical process of change. Vigango may be moved at most once from their original position, whereas koma may be more mobile, or may be replaceable (although there is some variation in practice over this). Since the early 19th century, the Giryama population has expanded both numerically and geographically: from being a relatively small group centered on the kaya ritual center a little way inland from Mombasa, with a mixed farming economy that emphasized cattle pastoralism, the Giryama have multiplied and spread to areas some way north of the kaya and as far east as the coast, relying heavily on rather marginal maize farming and on involvement in the tourist economy of the Kenya coast. As part of this process, homesteads have tended to become smaller, as men leave those of their fathers rather earlier to establish their own - and therefore may seek to erect their own ancestral memorials. As the population has expanded and dispersed, so it might be argued that koma have become more common than the more static vigango.
In either case, these wooden bodies for spirits have a limited period of use. Just as they are erected only when the spirits of the deceased make themselves remembered, so they are neglected once the spirits begin to be forgotten. This restricted sense of genealogy is emphasized by the fact that the Giryama alternate their names between generations, which tends to blur more distant ancestors into a stereotyped succession of names. Once an individual ancestor is forgotten, their koma or vigango are forgotten too - the soft-wood koma rot away, and after a time the more enduring vigango are left behind as homesteads move, no longer important because their spirits have faded from memory.
These four examples all have particularly carefully carved heads, whereas on many vigango the heads are essentially two-dimensional, and in some cases a geometric pattern is carved, no effort being made to represent human features. Two of them have the characteristic incised triangles, which perhaps represent human ribs, as well as the circular decorations that are common. The other two are predominantly incised with the rather less common rectilinear forms, and one is unusual in that the notches cut into the body serve as part of the pattern rather than terminating it.
While there are apparent similarities between these pieces and grave-markers of the Oromo, and some from Madagascar, no historical link has ever been demonstrated.
Making the kigango
After the family of the deceased decides to have a kigango erected, they contact a woodcarver/artist and commission the work. Vigango are expensive and the family may have to save for 1 or more years to pay the commission. The fee for a kigango is usually US $500 or more. This equates to the average household income for an entire year.
After the commission is paid, the artist begins his work. First, he attempts to find a mkone. All the time he converses with the spirit of the forest and the spirit of the mkone. These conversations are to assure the spirits that the wood and the work are necessary to appease the spirit of the deceased. After securing the wood, the carver transports the material back to his workplace. The wood must be kept horizontal at all times. This pleases the wood and forest spirits.
As the carving commences, the artist again converses with the spirit of the wood. At all times the work is kept horizontal. When the kigango is complete, the artist transports the kigango to the installation site chosen by the family of the deceased. Vigango, due to their inherently spiritual power, are never placed at the center of a hut nor at the center of the village. Doing so, placing a power laden kigango in a power laden location, would be sheer folly.
Installation of the kigango and rituals surrounding it
The actual installation is completely immersed in festival, ritual and ceremony. Vigango are erected at dawn, after a night of ceremony and ritual, accompanied by lots of palm wine. Black goats are slaughtered and eaten. This honors the black god.
For further information, I suggest you do a Goggle or Bing search on the following term(s):
Koma Pegs
Vigango
Kigango
Giryama
Gohu
Monica Udvardy
Linda Giles
Mr. John Mitsanze, Kenyan museum curator
But beware! Doing so will keep you very busy and will introduce you to more information than you may want.
My thanks to Monica Udvardy of the University of Kentucky for her insight and assistance in this brief look at vigango. Dr. Udvardy is a professor of cultural anthropology and has devoted much of her life to researching vigango and spearheading an effort to have all misappropriated vigango repatriated to the people to whom they have the most meaning … the Giryama and the peoples of Kenya.
Proof Gerard
Here is the PDF document:
proof_gerard.pdf
Vigango Invaders
June 2010
Well, a couple of months ago SWMBO decreed that the scrawny azalea (which occupied the left
corner) and the low spreading yew shrub (that was centered under the window and spanned well
beyond the window frame) had gone past their prime and had to be removed. She further
decreed that I could do with the space as I wanted. So, after laying in landscapers cloth and
adding a tier of landscaping timber over the existing frame, I filled it with marble chips. This is
the result:
Then we started having rain ... lots and lots of rain. Seems to be a daily event now. Last week I
discovered that the rocks had apparently grown! How, I have no idea. Maybe they have a secret
means of propogation. Now my rock garden looks like this.
Here are closeups, working from left (south) to right (north).
Image my utter amazement and surprise when I inspected the rock garden this morning around
8:00 AM. New invaders!
I'll start with a close up of the south corner.
Working to the next ... uninvited guest.
And the next ...
And finally ariving at the north end of my now thoroughly invaded meditative rock garden.
Well, I guess I could uproot everything, remove the culprits, bring in BP to clean up the mess and
start all over again. Or maybe I'll contact the Federal government and have them do it ... in 8 to
24 months, right.
Right now I have to get to the shop and start work on a private commission (fancy words for
someone willing to pay for my turnings)! And since this customer/client/supporter has been
buying stuff for many years, when he calls, I stop whatever I'm doing and get to work. SO, its off
to the shop/studio for me.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you made it this far, you should know that the “invaders” are actually my
interpretation, on a small scale of African grave markers called vigango (singular is kigango).
Or, as I sometimes call them “Spirit Stixx”.
Welcome to my Blog
April 4, 2010
Just a few thoughts from a wild and crazy woodturner. Today I was up early (5:00 AM Eastern Time) and printed out a custom Easter card for my wife of 34 years. Hope to be able to save enough money between now and next January to finance a 2 week trip to Hawaii. Hawaii is her idea of Heaven on Earth. I like it too ... especially the people and Sahev Ice from Matusmoto's on Oahu's North Shore. And plate lunch ...
Next Sunday at our meeting of the AAW local chapter, I am giving a demo and hands on time for texturing. I plan to take a few examples already done with me. I'll also be taking along a mini-needle scaler, Sorby spiralling and texturing tool, Wagner Texturing Tool, chatter tool, a propane torch, a couple of reciprocating carvers, a Foredom flex shaft kit with various bits, a woodburner, and a couple of engravers. Should be enough for a 90 minute time slot.
I am currently working on some highly figured local maple, cut green, which Tim Kennedy presented to me at last month's "Open Shop". The figure is what I refer to as "slash" since its not curly, not bird's eye and not blister, but a wildly exhuberant presentation of rays plus some curl plus just lots and lots of figure. I'll post photos when thet are done ... which likely will be a few months from now.
Next on my list is an in depth examination of the "Offset Pendant Chuck" featured on Ed "YoYo" Spins's home page. I intend to show what each individual offset setting produces (there are 8 available). Then I'll investigate how they interact with each other. The final step will be to add in the capabilities presented when you use the added offset feature from the deluxe version.
See you next time! Hope you will return to see what I have been up to.
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