Male power figure "nkisi" ·  R. D. Congo, Songye · ID: 3034158

Description

wood, matt middle brown patina, loincloth of animal skin, fixed by cord, hole in the parting with inserted magical loading, slightly dam., cracks;
the magical figures (“mankisi”; sing. - “nkisi”) were not conceived as objects of display but as intimate devices used for protection, healing or therapy. The determinating factor in their assessment is not visual but is rather dependent on the magical ingredients (=“bishimba”). The smaller figures belong to individual persons, while the big ones are the property of the whole village. In their function they often correspond to the protective or sacred figures of the Christian and other religions. Sometimes they also fulfil malignant goals: they heal and destroy, protect and attack.