Songye people, sometimes written Songe, are a Bantu ethnic group from the central Democratic republic of Congo They inhabit a vast territory between the Sankuru and Lubilash rivers west and the Lualaba River in the east, a vast group of villages can be found in present-day East Kasai province, parts of Katanga and Kivu Province.
Mankishi or nkishi sculpture were used for a community’s well-being, assuring fertility, protecting against illnesses, and generally keeping malevolent forces at bay. Their commissioning reflected a fear that disruptive forces would damage the village’s unity.
This particular nkishi was made to promote strengths vitality and courage to warriors.
