Initiation Ritual Tambour

The traditional use of an object such as this is sketchy; such groupings were often made at the behest of diviners or ritual priests and may take many forms. As a result, we can only conjecture as to the intended use based on some of the object’s attributes that link it to similar pieces.

The Baule are most well known for their images of ‘spirit mates’ that are carved for an individual when faced with a domestic or sexual problem. This however is not such a figure in that it depicts two individuals, a male and female (probably mates) and the surface of this tableau, rather than being enhanced by polishing or painting, or in rare cases, the addition of materials like gold, has a dark crusted surface related to sacrificial uses and unusual iconography.

The Baule figures make encrusted surfaces for two reasons; the first, to be spirit figures not related to the ‘spirit spouse’ genre but to embody Bush spirits, and in the second case, figures may be carved to represent or embody tutelary spirits for the diviner. In the latter case, the figures are often carved as pairs (as we see here) and are heavily encrusted with blood sacrifice from animals.

The use of the drums is esoteric; it may well have been a part of the diviner’s ritual, as drums are used in such divination. The entire object may have been a complex form of divination spirit receptacle, complete with drums and offering bowl.

It should be noted that this is not a unique piece; others exist, and are simply referred to as ‘shrine objects’. Indeed the documentation for this work states that the piece is from the ‘nanfoue’ Baule, among whom this type of iconography is typical for such a diviner’s object. Only further study and field research will categorically explain the meaning and subtlety of this object.