Anthropomorphic figure "kafigelejo"

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Description

wood, completely wrapped in rough-textured fabric (with sacrificial traces), elongated limbs, the facial features just indicated, min. dam., traces of abrasion, base;
the “kafigelejo” represents a dreaded spiritual being, said to have awesome forces in judging, punishing and imposing bad evil. The “kafigelejo” is said to be able to detect violation of unwritten rules of society and misdoings against single village inhabitants and to unmask the offender. Its name literally means “tell the truth”. The “kafigelejo” were kept in small huts and only the village chief, the sorcerer and few reliable persons were allowed to see them.

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Comparing literature

Burkhard, Gottschalk, Senufo - Unbekannte Schätze aus privaten Sammlungen, Düsseldorf 2009, p. 204 ff. Förster, Till, Die Kunst der Senufo aus Schweizer Sammlungen, Zürich 1988, p. 95

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