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These wooden statues, produced in Burkina Faso sometime during the 19th or 20th centuries, embody the Lobi people's devotion to providing and protecting for their families. For the Lobi, femininity symbolized the fertility of nature and the continuation of family lineage. Bateba figures were crafted to resemble their owners, with distinct features and hairstyles. The Lobi believed that hair held sacred power, safeguarding against malevolent spirits. These statues served as protectors of their territory, and were placed in homes to ward off evil spirits. The Lobi slingshot was crafted to hunt small animals for food or entertainment. The female form of the slingshot is presumably a representation of the owner or the artist. Both sculptures in their own right are an embodiment of providing and protecting.Label Type
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Gift of Carmen R. Croce, '71