_The Power of the Solution
_Nkisi Power Figure, The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, 19th – 20th Century.
Wood, copper, brass, iron, fiber, snakeskin, leather, fur, feathers, mud, resin. Height 23 5/32".
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979 (1979.206.127)
The minkisi are figures carved from wood and decorated with numerous adornments, including paint, nails, beads, shells, arrows, nuts, and twine. Over time, more and more of these decorations are added to the figure. This particular one has a face that was carved in a very naturalistic manner, with closed eyes and opened mouth, head tilted toward the sky. The rest of the body is more of a placeholder for all the objects that will placed upon it over time. These statues were sculpted for spiritual leaders called banganga. The banganga are people designated in the community to solve various crises that arise in society. Anything from illness and social problems to political instability and injustice can be a reason for using these figures. They are said to contain a great deal of spiritual power that is harnessed as a focal point for the spirit realm to work on the problem at hand. As the banganga employ these minkisi to handle problem after problem, the figure accumulates a mass of various objects that give it even more spiritual power, making it more effective in solving social ills and concerns.
Wood, copper, brass, iron, fiber, snakeskin, leather, fur, feathers, mud, resin. Height 23 5/32".
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979 (1979.206.127)
The minkisi are figures carved from wood and decorated with numerous adornments, including paint, nails, beads, shells, arrows, nuts, and twine. Over time, more and more of these decorations are added to the figure. This particular one has a face that was carved in a very naturalistic manner, with closed eyes and opened mouth, head tilted toward the sky. The rest of the body is more of a placeholder for all the objects that will placed upon it over time. These statues were sculpted for spiritual leaders called banganga. The banganga are people designated in the community to solve various crises that arise in society. Anything from illness and social problems to political instability and injustice can be a reason for using these figures. They are said to contain a great deal of spiritual power that is harnessed as a focal point for the spirit realm to work on the problem at hand. As the banganga employ these minkisi to handle problem after problem, the figure accumulates a mass of various objects that give it even more spiritual power, making it more effective in solving social ills and concerns.