Male statue in a standing position

Example of a Baulé wooden statue representing a "spouse of the otherworld" or "spirit husband". According to Baulé people, when we are born we abandon the wife ("bolo bla") or husband ("bolo bian") we had in the otherworld. In order not to provoke their gelousy or rage, which would cause problems such as impotence and sterility, statues are created with the help of a soothsayer to represent the spouses as they wish. With the evolution of the Baulé society, changes in features perceived as desirable on a esthetic and social level are reflected in the evolution of these representations. This staute represents a "otheroworld husband" as a man dressed in Western fashion, with pants and shirt. Compared the less recent statues, this new clothing brings with it a different vision of human anatomy, highlighting the waistline. Other statues represent persons dressed as soldiers or functionaries.