Male power figure "phuungu" ·  D. R. Congo, Yaka · ID: 3032251

Description

wood, reddish brown patina, string with nut shells and small wooden sculptures, mass remains on the back and the belly proving that the body was originally provided with much more magical substances, slightly dam., minor missing parts, cracks, base;
a “phuungu” is owned by the head of a patrilineal kin group and may pass from father to son. Its primary function is to protect against witches and other enemies and for this purpose it is often positioned on the wall near the roof supports in the interior of a dwelling.

Comparing literature

Bourgeois, Arthur P., Art of the Yaka and Suku, Paris 1984, p. 110