Power figure

Description

wood, dark brown patina, red pigment, the armless trunk entirely wrapped in a spherical package, filled with power substances and spread with clay-like mass, just legs and head are visible, the latter provided with beard and the high comb-like headdress of a dignitary, slightly dam., base;
the Teke make a distinction between the spirits of ancestors, which are present in “nkira” figures, and anonymous spirits, which inhabit “buti” figures. Normally it is not possible to classify a figure on the basis of its appearance. The difference between “nkira” and “buti” depends both on the components used and on the context in which the figure is used. “Buti” figures were used for a wide range of purposes such as healing, protection against spells, ensuring good fortune in hunting or trading, the rapid acquisition of wealth or revenge.