A bwanga is an object or assemblage of objects into which a nganga (soothsayer-healer) puts a bishimba — a mix of ingredients that protect against calamities such as sterility, sickness, or threats from sorcerers.

A nkishi is a bwanga in the form of an anthropomorphic statue or figurine. The bishimba are mostly introduced into the navel and head cavities.

These statues are pre-eminent mediators between the human and the supernatural world. They encourage the reincarnation of the deceased within the community and thus foster female fertility. They have other protective functions as well. The chest of this imposing figure is covered with red- and white-coloured patterns applied next to each other. These symbolize the two steps — a white one and a red one — of the initiation into the bukishi society, an institution that honoured the traditions, but was already disappearing in the 1950s.