Power Figure: Male (Nkisi)

Power Figure: Male (Nkisi), 19th-mid 20th century, Kongo peoples, wood, pigment, nails, cloth, beads, shells, arrows, leather, nuts and twine, 58.8 x 26 x 25.4 cm (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Speakers: Dr. Peri Klemm and Dr. Beth Harris

[jenniferperry]

I bought a nice Nkisi from a store in Long Beach for a fair price. He has a couple extra nails already and fresh medicine. I encourage everyone of African descent to visit more African stores so WE can narrate the stories of Nkisi, and the rest of secretive Congo practices that continue even in America with dedicated elders and youth trying hard to preserve these medicines and such.

[ThethRonin]

Nkisi are still being built, to this day.

[Frelimo]

This word Nkisi in Nguni traditions is Nkosi which means Chief or Chief Spirit, Nganga is Inyanga in Nguni languages of the horn which loosely translate to Spiritual healer in a traditional sense. These two are interchangeable at times where the Chief of the village is also a healer or the Traditional Leader in a Spiritual sense. The Natal hole presents the gut which is regarded mostly as center for Spirituality or where an intuitive eye is located. The human third eye is in the gut not where is normally shown on the forehead. The nails are then many manifestations of presiding spirits of Native awakening called channeling or nativity...

[OverSooll]

I have been a Nganga and fetish priest for over 16 years, it's a nice video. (NB: The Nkisi also talks through trance and divination)

[c-monster]

Anyone else watching this for AP art history?

[slambk]

NOt from the Democratic rep of Congo... actually from the Empire of Kongo....please rectified guys...Angola two congos and up to cameroon but this specific one was in the particular area which is located in the DRC... KONGO is the Peolple whom belongs in that main Tribe which are composed of several tribes.., .as I am a pure KONGO, my language is KI KONGo which makes me a MU KONGO.

[Sasha]

Lots of new terms here: Nganga, nkisi, mooyo.
I'd love to see this object in action - especially for going after evil-doers. 😤 I wonder if this was the predecessor of voodoo dolls, but I don't know enough about the latter to make a real connection there.
The cameo by the figure next to this one was unexpectedly hilarious with those eyes and the undersized thing it's riding on. 😅

[martinjcamp]

This Video was recommended and linked by "Nicola White Mudlark - Tideline Art" YouTube Channel after she found one of these figures on the Thames Foreshore. Fascinating.

[tokayanazolana]

The Ba Kongo people started in Angola Zaire Mbaza kongo

[uchennaokohokpara]

I know you are with us father you says we can not suffer again

[uchennaokohokpara]

Mpa maa na him as father of the kingdom