In Ngoyo, the authority of the chiefs is supported by a masked association called Kindunga, itself a kind of nkisi, which still exists. The members are considered to be "wives" of the tutelary spirit of the chief’s domain, the nkisi nsi. The mask is simply the face piece of a costume of leaves that covers the entire body of the masker. Each masquerade has a name that is revealed not by the wooden mask itself but by some other object that is part of the costume; the name refers to a proverb that conveys a moral message. The masks appear in groups to dance at important funerals and other occasions of potential disorder, serving as a kind of police force.