Träskulptur, figur, sculpture, figurine

Unknown artist

Primitiv träskulptur med dubbelansikte. This appears to be an example of a very important fetish, concerned with social control in the Poro soceity, which is otherwise known to me only on the Liberian side of the border. In style it belongs to the Dan rather than the Ngere tradition. The region of Danane seems to be within the Dan area, according to Vandenhoute. There are two similar though smaller pieces in the B.M. and two others are illustrated in Schwab, Tribes of the Liberian Hinterland and Harley, Masks as Agents of Social Control, Peabody Papers, Vols. XXXI & XXXII, 2 (see especially the reference on p. 35, top). According to my informant who obtained the two which we have after their confiscation by the Liberian authorities, this is the most powerful fetish of all in the area. The Poro would hardly part willingly with such a piece, so it was probably obtained by Anisimovs in the same way. W.B.Fagg. 30.9.57. komm.tin le öpp? stammen å omstående sida. Yaconka är en Dan (el. Gio på Liberia sidan) , Yaconka är en hälsning ung. "god morgon" och eg. inget stamnamn. Diola= Malinka (Mandingr), Guare el. Ngnere / Krahn el. Knä: på Liberiasidan) till ? kin - språkgrupper medan Dan till? Mandre (östra) språkgrupper. Dan torde nämnt vara släkt med mano (Mä) i Liberia och ? i ?. ? o. Toiras(?) är ssannolikt ?-grupper.