The present item belongs to a small corpus of enigmatic Songye sculptures with heads dramatically turned to one side. The purpose for which these mankishi were intended has not yet been elucidated. A deep blackish patina covers most parts of the body, the result of many palm oil treatments resulting in a head still covered in this viscous liquid. The face has a benign expression with half closed eyes and a smiling mouth. The body is shaped as a half-figure with a strong emphasis on geometric forms: a strong tubular neck stands on a slightly waisted torso, the free carved arms issue from rectangular shoulders and the lower body is conceived as a trapezoid with flattened back. Details as fingers, toes, sex and hairdo are left-out. By doing so the artist/specialist was able to carve a powerful vessel for the special ingredients, bishimba, found in the two cavities in the belly and fontanel. Within the examples published, this item has a unique quality.

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