Ceremonial Recade
Culture: Fon
Country: Republic of Benin
Wood, Brass
This ceremonial staff was carried by the King's messenger.
The extension
from the lions mouth refers to the Kings wisdom and royal speech. The
lion is the royal animal associated with the 19th century Fon King Glele.
Approximately 900 distinct cultures are found on the continent of Africa.
The objects included in this display from the countries of Mali, Liberia,
Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaire and Kenya were created by peoples whose
cultures are quite different from those in the Western world. Also, an understanding
of the history of African art by the West is limited by a number of factors,
including the quick deterioration of objects made form organic materials
like wood and cloth after a generation of use, and scant written documentation
about the are by the peoples themselves, who instead have a rich oral tradition.
In those regions of the continent where field research has not been systematically
conducted, often only a general classification of art objects according
to the general style of the culture is possible because the identity of
the artist was not documented by Western collectors. While all the objects
included in this display were made in the twentieth century, many belong
to visual traditions that reach back in time several centuries.