86 UMMA Objects
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This anthropomorphic <em>nkisi</em>, or power figure, stands upright and features a rather large, forward-tilting head with a prominent, parted mouth, high cheekbones with shallow cheeks, and chipped glass-encrusted lower eyes. A brass tack pierces the figure’s forehead, directly above its nose.  The figure possesses a rectangular torso and robust appendages, although the lower arms and feet are missing. The figure likely held a medicine pack upon its abdomen, evidenced by the four holes bored into its torso, and another one upon its cranium. Around the figure’s neck is a collar, possibly of leather, another place in which medicines are carried.
Vili (Kongo) (Vili)
Power Figure
1845 – 1855
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.179
Female figure with crossed legs, breastfeeding a child. The large mother figure is decorated with scarifications on her breasts, shoulders and back. She bears filed teeth, is wearing an elaborate headdress and her face has been decorated with three brass tacks. Mirror fragments were used to evoke eyes. On the back of the sculpture a mirror covers a raised addition containing unknown elements. The figures are seated on a rectangular base with geometric decorations. 
Yombe (Yombe (culture or style))
Mother and child figure
1885 – 1895
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.187
This small power figure features a naturalistic human face engulfed in layers of multi-media attachments, which create an imposing visual effect. The figure wears a blue turban wrapped around its head that binds bundles of medicinal substances and is crowned with several feathers. It also dons a metal necklace and a small bone dangles from the arm. The lower body is covered in fiber and a skirt of long leather strips. Possessing eyes encrusted with glass, the figure stands on top of a carved wooden turtle and holds the tip of a curved piece of wood in its mouth, the other end of which terminates in its clutched right hand. A large medicine pack, topped with a round mirror, is affixed to the figure's torso, which is thickly coated with resin and red pigment.
Yombe (Yombe (culture or style))
Power Figure
1850 – 1899
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.191
This carved, wooden Yaka figure depicts a man standing with an animal perched atop his head. The carving is stylized and exhibits characteristics typically seen among northern Yaka figural representations: flexed knees; arms bent with upturned palms positioned at shoulder level; and, an animal figure upon its head. In this case, the creature has a curved body and appears to be an anteater. The male figure has a narrow, cylindrical body; a slightly protruding belly; a simple coiffure; an elongated face; barely-open eyes from which vertical lines extend downward; a disproportionately large, pointed nose, and a darkened beard.
Yaka (Yaka (Kwango-Kwilu region style))
Figure
1915 – 1925
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.193
This wooden mortar is decorated by finely carved geometric patterns and features two anthropomorphic heads bearing recognizable Chokwe characteristics including coffeebean-shaped eyes enclosed in large ocular cavities. The lower head, the face of an idealized female (<em>mwana pwo</em>), forms the body of the mortar. The upper head, turned at a 90 degree angle from the lower head, is wearing a headdress which extends behind his face. Resting on top of the upper head is the bowl of the mortar.
Chokwe (Chokwe (culture or style))
Mortar
1865 – 1875
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.205
As one of a pair of delicately carved, ivory statuette-pendants, this female figure stands upright, as opposed to her counterpart whose head and upper body lean slightly forward. Both, however, have a round head with a convex face; large, coffeebean-shaped eyes; a rectangular mouth with prominent lips; a cylindrical neck; and, a coiffure decorated on the back with a cruciform pattern. Additionally, both female figures clutch their breasts in their hands. The statuettes have been pierced through, allowing them to suspend from a string.
Luba (Luba (culture or style))
Power Figure
1845 – 1855
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.220.1
This wooden&nbsp;figure depicts a female with a strikingly large, balloon-shaped animal skin sack tied above the crown of her head. An animal horn has been embedded within this massive sack. Representative of the northern style of Kusu carvings which is known to have sharp, angular forms, this&nbsp;<em>kakudji</em>&nbsp;features an ovoid head; a rounded, convex face and forehead; large ears; prominent cheekbones; coffeebean-shaped eyes within large ocular cavities; a well-defined, pointed nose; an elliptical mouth with slightly parted lips; a long, cylindrical neck; arms bent at the elbow, forming a 90-degree angle at the waist; and breasts that are situated nearly at shoulder level. The figure possesses a swollen belly, indicating pregnancy, and hence, representing the themes of maternity, fertility, and the continuation of the lineage. Animal skin enshrouds the female&rsquo;s lower body. Tukula powder, derived from the camwood tree and used to consecrate&nbsp;<em>kakudji</em>, appears on the figure&rsquo;s
Kusu (Kusu (Luba region style))
Power Figure
1915 – 1925
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.223
This double-faced sculpture has been carved from semihard wood. The male is distinguished by the beard, formed by a double row of small triangles. The female, which faces the opposite direction, shares a neck and trunk with her male counterpart. The heads are disproportionately large and both faces are ovoid-shaped, with a wide convex forehead and broad features. Their coiffures converge to form a single cone composed by stratified, semi-circular rings. A cavity on the top of the coiffure likely held medicinal substances, imbuing the figure with power. The male and female each have sharply protruding bellies, marked with round umbilici.  Both possess two sets of arms, which are detached from the body and situated on either side of their respective abdomens. Three of the four feet have broken off. The encrusted surface of the <em>kabeja</em> reveals that it was once the recipient of libational offerings.   
Hemba (Hemba (culture or style))
Power Figure
1865 – 1875
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.226
This wooden figure depicts a standing female whose upper body is wrapped with woven fiber and metal rings, while multi-colored beads and metal objects including clips, a pendant, and a smaller ring dangle from her ears. Arms, facial details, a coiffure, and defined toes are not present.  <br />
 
Zande (Zande)
Power Figure
1905 – 1915
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.236
Iron staff with 3 sets of 4 bells along the length, with two leaf-like protrusions near the middle. At the top are 7 birds in a circle surmounted by one large bird.
Yoruba (Yoruba (culture or style))
Diviner's Staff
1901 – 1999
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.238
Wooden mask in the shape of human head, covered with animal skin, possibly antelope. The head is ovoid shaped with a small nose and an open mouth filled with teeth. The ears are small and there is a dark line running from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the nose. There are two raised marks on each side of the face. The top of the head is darkened and has small, wooden pegs to represent hair. 
Mask
1890 – 1959
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.243

Bamana (Bamana)
Door Lock
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern
2005/1.244
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