Nkisi or Nkishi (plural varies: minkisi, mikisi, zinkisi, or nkisi) are spirits or an object that a spirit inhabits. It is frequently applied to a variety of objects used throughout the Congo Basin in Central Africa, especially in the Territory of Cabinda that are believed to contain spiritual powers or spirits.

A fascinating example of a nkisi can be found in a power figure called nkisi nkondi. A nkisi nkondi can act as an oath taking image which is used to resolve verbal disputes or lawsuits (mambu) as well as an avenger (the term nkondi means ‘hunter’) or guardian if sorcery or any form of evil has been committed.

nkisi, in west-central African lore, any object or material substance invested with sacred energy and made available for spiritual protection. One tradition of the Kongo people of west-central Africa holds that the god Funza gave the world the first nkisi.

Nov 25, 2024 · The Mangaaka Power Figure, or Nkisi N’Kondi, stands as one of the most compelling artifacts of Central African art, embodying the intersection of spirituality, governance, and communal justice.

Minkisi (singular nkisi), often referred to in English as “power figures,” were made by Kongo people, such as the Yombe, residing in the area now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Title: Male Power Figure (Nkisi) Artist: Kongo artist and nganga Date: late19th–mid-20th century Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo Culture: Kongo Medium: Wood, pigment, nails, cloth, beads, shells, arrows, leather, nuts, twine Dimensions: H. 23 1/8 x D. 10 1/4 x W. 10 in. (58.8 x 26 x 25.4 cm) Classification: Wood-Sculpture

A commanding life-size masterpiece whose physical presence conveys extraordinary strength and stature, Nkisi Mangaaka belonged to the most influential and ambitious class of nkisi: those invested with judicial authority.

Nkisi are intended to create a frightening effect; it is the sculptor’s job to create an image that implies force. Ritual experts, or nganga, mediated between conflicting parties and aided individuals seeking help.

A nkisi (plural: minkisi) is loosely translated as a “spirit” yet it is represented as a container of sacred substances which are activated by supernatural forces that can be summoned into the physical world.

Apr 13, 2016 · Nkisi nkondi figures come from the Kongo people, a Bantu ethnic group located in the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nkisi are spirits or objects that spirits inhabit, and nkondi are an aggressive subclass of nkisi that …