Small figure "mu po" ·  Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke · ID: 3042024

Description

wood, slightly encrusted dark brown patina, remains of pigments, small opening at the neck, a large rectangular opening on the backside, min. dam., small missing parts, plate;
Bamileke healers and soothsayers used such small wooden statuettes to represent their patients, who would be treated at a distance. Sometimes the statuettes have a cavity in the back into which magical substances would be placed and the cavity closed with a band of leather or cloth. Some of them would be carried by mask-wearing members of the “kungan” society during their big rituals.