Cleveland Museum of Art

Figure (kiteki)

Date

late 1800s–mid-1900s

Medium

Wood, lizard skin, leopard tooth, pods, cloth, and natural fiber

Culture

Africa, Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yaka-style carver

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Biteki is the generic name for Yaka figures used as containers for magical ingredients. After being charged by a ritual specialist, they become minkisi , or power objects, and gain the power to either cure or harm. This example, with various leadership accouterments, likely belongs to the category called phuungu . Placed inside a house, the statuette would have protected against witches and other evil. The sculptures and the specially selected materials inside assist the prayers of owners for protection from harm, sickness, or loss.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.