A powerfull fetish-figure, covered with numerous fetish attachments like nails, rope, cloth and herbs (inside the cloth and behind the mirror). A Nkisi is a spirit or an object that a spirit inhabits. Close communication with ancestors and belief in the efficacy of their powers are closely associated with the minkisi (plural for Nkisi) in the Kongo-people tradition. People known as 'banganga' work as healers, diviners and mediators who defend the living against black magic and provide them with remedies against diseases. They do that, amongst others, by making minkisi. Minkisi serve many puposes. Some are used in divination practices, rituals to eradicate evil or punish wrong-doers. Others are used for healing or success in hunting or trade. Minkisi contain bundles with herbs, earth and spiritually-charged substances. Many include earth or relics from the grave of a powerful individual as a prime ingredient. The metal objects represent the minkisis' active role during ritual or ceremony. Each nail represents a vow, a signed treaty or efforts to abolish evil. Ultimately, these figures most commonly represent reflections upon socially unacceptable behaviors and efforts to correct them. They are frequently applied to a variety of objects used throughout the Congo Basin in Central Africa.