Mangaaka, Kongo Nkisi figure, judicial and social order
Bode Museum7.5a Mangaaka (Power Figure, nkisi n'kondi)
Yombe, Chiloango river region (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, or Angola), 19th century, wood, iron, porcelain, pigments, acquired in 1904 from Robert Visser, III C 17114
Confronting the viewer with its power, this mangaaka figure helped maintain justice and order in the Yombe region north of the lower Congo river. At the same time, it was meant to fend off evil and support the social order at a time of traumatic upheaval caused by the "scramble for Africa" by European powers.
Mangaaka were known for being particularly aggressive and were used to resolve serious disputes, seal contracts, and punish wrongdoers. A Mangaaka figure is typically distinguished by a powerful, forward-leaning stance with hands on hips, an open mouth showing teeth, and sometimes a specific type of headwear (mpu), which signifies its authority as a chief or king.
This is located in Bode Museum.
Supplementary images:
Mangaaka, Nkisi wooden figure, powerful, forward-leaning stance, hands on hips, created to enforce judicial & social order, Bode Mu
Taken on Tuesday 06th of August 2019
Device: Google
Model: Pixel 3 XL
Genre:
19th Century
Source: Berlin, Germany
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