Mangaaka power figure

A Deliberately Decommissioned Artwork  

The term nkisi relates to a wide spectrum of physical receptacles containing sacra, from cloth packets and clay vessels to the carved figurative forms interpreted by art historians. The ritual efficacy of such customized works was not transferable. Once out of use, they were frequently deconsecrated prior to their trade as artifacts. The original owners of this Mangaaka deliberately removed the empowering materials from its abdominal cavity before it left the community. Also missing are its original beard, which would have been composed of plant matter and affixed around the chin with metal, and a raffia fiber skirt that once extended from the waist to the feet.