Nikondi are a subset of Nkisi. Nikisi is an object that a spirit
inhabits. The Nikondi are an aggressive type, usually with nails in
them to awaken the spirit, that find wrongdoers and punish them or
cause or cure sickness. The Africans who came to America brought
the concept with them. In time, the objects from Central Africa
have been seen as pieces of art.