Couple de figures "yassoua ni bla"

Description

wood, remains of black paint, rep. (base of female figure), base

This figures are created by one and the same artist and are still preserved today as a couple.

A work by the same hand was auctioned on 26 November 2011, as lot 187 at Zemanek-Münster (AHDRC 0138600).

The depiction as a pair indicates that the figures most probably represent “asie usu”, which belong to the property of a trance diviner “komyen”.

“Asie usu” constitute the abodes of the bush spirits that periodically possess the diviner and allow him or her to fortell the future and to analyze the source of misfortunes.

The figures have to be handled with care in order to get their support.They are displayed between the fortune teller and the client during a public performance.