Bwanga bwa bwimpe (female power figure)

Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist)

Late 19th–early 20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 344

An mpaka manga deploys power objects to contain and control otherworldly forces. Creation of these complex forms resulted from a close collaboration between a master sculptor and a healer, the latter completing the object with the addition of bishimba (mineral, vegetal, animal, and human products imbued with supernatural power). Such instruments range from gourds to animal horns to carved figures, each with its own name defined by specific responsibilities and influence. Bwanga bwa cibola were deployed to ensure a successful pregnancy and safe delivery, while bwanga bwa bwimpe served more broadly as protection against sorcery and evil. Both feature ornate patterns inscribed on the body as signs of moral and aesthetic beauty.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Bwanga bwa bwimpe (female power figure)
Artist: Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist)
Date: Late 19th–early 20th century
Geography: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Culture: Luluwa peoples
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: H. 9 1/2 in. x W. 2 1/4 in. x D. 2 in.
Block: H. 1 1/2 in. x W. 2 3/4 in. x D. 2 3/4 in.
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: Gift of Carol B. Kenney, in memory of Jerome P. Kenney, 2025
Object Number: 2025.96.3
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Bwanga (power object), Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist) (?), Wood, horn, seeds, cowrie shells, shotgun shells, teeth, metal, fiber, pigment, tar(?), Luluwa peoples — Bwanga (power object)
Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist)
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Bwanga bwa cibola (maternity power figure), Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist), Wood, copper alloy, Luluwa peoples — Bwanga bwa cibola (maternity power figure)
Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist)
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Bwanga bwa bwimpe (female power figure), Luluwa artist and mpaka manga (ritual specialist), Wood, ivory (?), applied organic matter, Luluwa peoples — Bwanga bwa bwimpe (female power figure)
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Nkishi (community power figure), Songye artist and nganga (ritual specialist), Wood, copper, brass, iron, fiber, snakeskin, leather, fur, feathers, mud, resin, Songye peoples — Nkishi (community power figure)
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