Figurine expédition féminine ancienne tribu africaine Mumuye Iagalagana statue rituelle du Nigeria

This is a hand carved antique African Mumuye tribal people wooden statue depicting a Iagalagana ritual female figure with distended earlobes which was collected from Nigeria, Africa.

The Mumuye mostly live in northeastern Nigeria in a isolated region that is bounded by the bend of the Benue River and the Cameroon border. With no royal system, the Mumuye are organized by age classes and choose a village chief who is assisted by a council of elders. The Vabong is a secret society which regulates Mumuye religious life. Although Mumuye tribal people show great respect for their ancestors the Mumuye tribal carvings do not depict their ancestors but rather incarnates tutelary spirits. Mumuye artists are famous for their wooden statues known as Iagalagana. This Iagalagana figures were used by diviners and healers as well as common villagers for such things as to diagnosis and cure ill health, protection from misfortunes, guard the home place, serve as owners confidant who would have detailed conversations with their statue and the figures were also used in trials of men who were in dispute with one another - they would swear on a statue and then kiss it. Elders used them to reinforce their status in society and most figures serve two or more of these functions. Mumuye figures are highly abstracted human forms perhaps in part because they invoke forms of human and supernatural authority. The Mumuye people distinguish the gender of the figures on the basis of the shape of the ears as only the Mumuye women distend their earlobes.

ThisMumuyestatue is in good rustic condition with slight wear and although it does stand on its own it does lean a tad. This beautifulMumuyetribal statue would make a fine addition to any African art collection.ThisMumuyestatue measures 24.25 inchestall by 5 inches wide and weighs 2 pounds and 10 ounces. I combine shipping on multipleitems so be sure to check out my eBay store where I have thousands of items to browse.