The fate of Vigango is not unusual; there has been widespread theft and global trade in Vigango for several decades. Westerners view them as “art,” giving them high value in the global market and perpetuating their theft from the Mijikenda community in the coastal region of Kenya. A Kigango (totem) is a carved memorial post to commemorate deceased family members who belong to the Gohu society, a male fraternal organization. This concept documentary sheds light about why stealing such totems is especially egregious because they are ritual artifacts that are part of a living culture. Moreover, according to indigenous belief, vigango are inalienable and should never be removed from their site of erection.
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