Songye artists are renowned for their masks and statuary, which are highly stylized and often striking in their sculptural power. Representations of males and females abound in Songye tradition, each having a characteristic style and individuality. These carvings were largely used within secret societies as power objects, channeling spiritual forces to protect or assist the owner or the greater community.

This female figure shows a confidently modeled head, classic elongated neck, gentle shoulders, and simplified torso with arms carved in relief. The hands, sketched in rudimentary form, are placed on either side of a protruding umbilicus. A circular base terminates the figure at the waist. With its blend of soft, sloping surfaces and rigid, geometric shapes, the face is deeply expressive, suggesting both sorrow and wisdom. The numerous ridges of the neck symbolize health, wealth, and fertility.

The crown of the head holds a magical charge (boanga) made by a ritual practitioner. A paste composed of potent ingredients, boanga were placed in hollows in the torsos or heads of power figures to endow them with magical efficacy.