Thickly Encrusted Dagari Shrine Figure

Dagari shrine figure from Southwest Burkina Faso featuring erosion on one leg and a thickly encrusted, curvaceous body. Dagari shrine figures honor a deceased male ancestor. It is said that in former times, the passing of a Dagari male who had achieved the status of a grandfather required that the eldest grandson should go to the forest and collect a forked tree or branch from which to carve a memorial figure with which to honor him. The figure would be installed in the family shrine and chicken blood, millet beer and other sacrifice offerings would be ritually applied.

27″

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