The Kongo people believe that their great god, Ne Kongo, delivered the first sacred nkisi (medicine) from heaven in an earthenware container.

Created by a skilled Kongo artist, nkisi nkondi can serve as an oath-taking figure to resolve disputes or lawsuits and also acts as a guardian of Kongo spiritual beliefs and practices. Known as power figures, they are identifyable through the nails and blades embedded in the wood and often have medicines placed in a mirror box at the stomach and on top of the head. This nkisi nkondi also has materials behind the eyes and inside the mouth, with numerous nails and blades piercing it.

At the request of a client or opposing parties, a nganga or spiritual healer commissions a nkisi figure and then ritually drive the metals, representing the disputes or issues, into the figure. They make an oath or agreement, and if it is broken, the nganga activates the nkisi to carry out its mission of divine punishment or protection. The partnership between the artist and spiritual leader are essential in crafting and empowering nkisi nkondi, which are used to tackle social, political, and health issues within the community.