Luba or Kusu Male Power Half Figure (Kakudji)

Luba or Kusu people, early to mid-20th century, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Impressive and evocative male power half figure, known as a kakudji, expertly hand-carved from a single block of wood and finished in a rich espresso-toned surface. This compelling example—closely aligned with the Kasongo style—stands upright with long tubular arms extending downward, the hands clasping a prominent protruding stomach that emphasizes the accentuated navel, a symbolic seat of vitality. His poised stance is complemented by a strong pointed chin that juts forward in an assertive, meditative gaze. The torso descends into a rounded plinth base, seamlessly carved from the same piece of wood.

The figure’s large, expressive head features closed coffee-bean eyes under arched brows, a naturalistic flattened nose, and an oval raised mouth with full lips and a short beard. A pair of large, well-articulated ears and a thick cylindrical neck rise from squared shoulders. Atop the head sits an elaborate short hairstyle—or possibly raised scarification—culminating in a cylindrical, tiered coiffure that enhances his authoritative presence.

Most striking is the bowl-shaped cavity crowning the head, filled with magical materials placed by a ritual specialist to “activate” the living spirit within the figure. Among these potent substances were items believed to hold extraordinary life force—such as pulverized fragments of human bone, botanical matter, or even the hair of twins. The head is understood in Luba, Kusu, and related traditions as the primary point of spiritual communication; by embedding these materials, the nganga (ritual practitioner) formally invites the spirit to inhabit the vessel, empowering the figure as an instrument for protection, healing, divination, or specialized tasks. Similar kakudji figures are known among the Luba, Hemba, and Kusu, making precise attribution complex.

The Luba, a cluster of peoples inhabiting a vast region of south-central Democratic Republic of the Congo, reached their political and artistic zenith between the 17th and 19th centuries. Their spiritual universe encompasses a universal creator (Shakapanga), a supreme being (Leza), and a dynamic interplay between the natural and supernatural worlds. The latter is the realm of ancestral spirits (bankambo) and other entities (mikishi, bavidye), who may intervene in the affairs of the living. Luba religious life is expressed through prayers, communal singing, dance, offerings, rites of passage, and invocations conducted by intermediaries such as priests (nsengha, kitobo), healers (nganga), and diviners performing lubuko. Living ethically (mwikadilo muyampe) ensured one’s acceptance into the ancestral realm.

The Kusu, whose communities are organized into small, often isolated villages, especially in the southern areas most influenced by the Luba, share certain ritual parallels. Though lacking a paramount chief, they practice investiture ceremonies similar to the Luba and maintain a spiritual life that blends nature spirit worship rooted in their Mongo heritage with ancestor cults adopted from the Hemba and Luba. Their ritual specialists create and employ powerful magical figures closely related to those used by neighboring Songye communities, further illustrating the interconnected spiritual landscape of the region.

This kakudji half figure, with its bold presence, ritual potency, and refined carving, stands as a powerful testament to the spiritual and artistic traditions of the Luba–Kusu cultural sphere.

Good condition. Traces of ceremonial use and handling over many years. Strongly encrusted deep dark patina. Traces of magical ingredients. Missing parts due to insect caused damage. Fractures and cracks. Size approx. 21,0cm x 8,5cm x 7,3cm (excluding the modern stand).

Provenance: Swedish private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Power Figure, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 2005/1.223 (https://umma.umich.edu/objects/power-figure-2005-1-223/)

Power Figure, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Accession Number: 2015.62.43 (https://collections.artsmia.org/art/123408/power-figure-kusu-or-zimba)

Half Figure: Female, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 1976.247.3 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/310183)

References and further reading:

Luba: Visions of Africa, Mary Roberts & Allen F. Roberts, Publisher: 5 Continents Editions Srl, 2007.

Memory: Luba Art and the Making of History, Mary Nooter Roberts & Allen F. Roberts, Publisher: Center for African Art, 1996.

Luba, Mutombo Nkulu-N'Sengha, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Dec. 2018. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Luba-people)

History of Art in Africa: Second Edition, Monica Blackmun Visona, Robin Poynor and Herbert M. Cole, Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2007.