Couple "bateba phuwe"
Description
wood, encrusted brown patina, sacrificial traces, a male and a female figure, long-legged, strong physique, the arms carved close to the body, faces with accentuated eyes and protruding mouth, “phisa” coiffure, rep. (left heel of the female), small missing parts (foot tips), slight traces of abrasion;
the Lobi differentiate between four types of “bateba” protective figures: “bateba phuwe” (the so-called “ordinary bateba”), “bateba bambar” (“paralyzed bateba”), “bateba ti puo” (“dangerous persons”) and “bateba ti bala” (“the extraordinary persons”). Present figures belong to the type of “ordinary bateba”, because they don’t show any special gesture or any physiological symptom. “Bateba phuwe” figures help people in many ways. They protect them from witches and witch doctors, they mourn on behalf of the occupants of the house so these do not need to mourn themselves, and they fulfill various urgent tasks, like the search for a spouse, preventing sterility or healing illnesses.