Standing female power figure "nkisi" ·  R. D. Congo, Songye · ID: 3037122

Description

wood, rich reddish brown patina, traces of dark brown paint in some areas, metal tag, the right hand up to the left breast and the left hand in a protective gesture down to the lower part of the body, a columnar neck supporting a head with characteristic but unusual fine and regular facial features, simple grooved hairdo, dashed tattoos arranged radially around the navel, scattered on the thighs, each foot rising from its own platform, slightly dam., cracks (left side of the head, body);
Songe “mankisi” can be generally divided into two basic categories depending on size. Large examples are the collective property of a village and serve community needs, wheras small figures are personal belongings of an individual or at the most a family. The literature speaks of community “mankisi” and personal “mankisi”. The latter were meant to preserve womens fertility, they also protected against sorcerers, guarded the home against lightning, or ensured good harvest. The majority of personal “mankisi” were discarded soon after their production, for once the desired effect was attained, the empowering substances lost their efficacy.