Ancestor figure "niande" ·  Burkina Faso, Mossi · ID: 3047932

Description

wood, small place of repair, base

This figure probably belongs to the type of “niande” figures, which were the property of the “nakomsé”, the ruling class. They represent ancestors of royal origin and were used in many ways.

The very ownership of the figures confirmes the chief’s right to rule. During funeral rites, a figure may stand in for and represent the deceased chief. The figures are also important in ancestral ritual and were displayed at annual ceremonies that occur at key points in the agricultural cycle.

Comparing literature

Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 84