Head sculpture of the snake cult

Description

wood, kaolin, human hair, plant fibres, old collection label “a 22 164/10 206/1”, base

These head sculptures are used in Kuyu ceremonies honoring the snake god. Different actors appear one after the other. Among them are the “eouya” (the “snake people”) and the primordial couple (“djokou”, the father and “ebotita”, the mother). At the end of the performance, the chief initatior reveals “ebongo”, “the great serpent” and father of the “eouya”.