Songye Personal Power Figure: Nkisi

Songye Power Figure (Nkisi)

Democratic Republic of Congo

First half of the 20th century 

The human appearance and visible attributes of chieftaincy of the nkisi are juxtaposed with the more animal characteristics emphasising his non-human ‘otherness’. A large animal horn, presumably filled with medicinal matter, reinforces the figure’s wild power. The nkisi rests his hands on his stomach, where traditionally it was believed the most important part of a human being, the living spirit, resides. 

Large-scale power figures were central to the life of Songye communities spread over a vast territory in east-central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Designed to act as intercessors between ancestral spirits and the living, nkishi were intended to benefit the entire community and were not the property of a single individual. The consecration of a nkishi was a public event unifying the community; chiefs and elders commissioned the nkishi and the community was responsible for cutting the tree selected for the carving, often selected for its curative or toxic properties.

Once completed, the nkishi was displayed in a central location such as the center of the village or near the chief’s house. Alongside it would stand a guardian serving as an interpreter for the messages received through dreams. Collective tellings occurred following specific dreams or nightmares as well as during celebrations related to the appearance of the new moon, symbolising of new life, fertility, and wealth. During a new moon, the nkishi was carried in procession through the village but could not be touched due to its great potency; instead, wooden poles attached under its arms with raffia strings were used.