Traditionally in Zaire all exceptional power derived from the ability to communicate and interact with the spirit world. Only kings, priests, and public diviners possessed this power. Kings were endowed with special forces which they derived from their ancestors. Priests and public diviners were traditionally healers and judges who defended individuals against malevolent forces and adjudicated disputes with the help of spirits which were made accessible through powerful objects and sculptures such as the Nail Figure.

Nail Figure (nkisi n'kondi)
Ancestor Figure	Figure