Female reliquary guardian figure "byeri"

Description

wood, reddish brown patina, the eyes inset with metal tags, typical posture with folded arms, dam., paint rubbed off, cracks, on base;
the worship of the relics of the family’s illustrious dead is widespread in the whole of Fang country. It could be an autonomous worship within a lineage, or a part of a larger set of rites like those of the secret societies for example. It is characterized by the conservation of the relics of the group’s notables, set aside after death in the graves (the skulls are kept above all, and often other bones for specific rites). Women are often elevated to the rank of ancestor of the “byeri”, especially very prolific mothers. By keeping the relics people hoped to gain the favour of the mighty deceased.
The statuettes were affixed on top of cylindrical coffers of stitched bark and were kept in the peoples houses. They should remind of the faded person and should prevent people who were not allowed, to have a look into such boxes. They presented a kind of protecting house spirit as well, they should keep away evil and bad spirits. At the moment of ritual, for example propitation or initiation, the skulls, bones and wooden statues were smeared with several different unguents with precise and secret symbolical functions.