Vigango.co.uk

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. The individual had to be initiated into one of the numerous societies that structure the rules of Giryama society. 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. This Kigango has a very rare and unusual inscribed pattern that is almost other worldly in appearance, differing greatly to the normal triangular arrangements. The abstracted head is depicted as a two-dimension, flat circle incised with facial features. This Kigango is accompanied by by three koma which represent ordinary male members of the clan. 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.

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