“Byeri” Figure

This sculpture, called a “byeri,” belonged to a cult devoted to ancestral worship in the Fang culture. These seated figures have elongated bodies and prominent belly buttons, with a long rod at their back, and they are used to protect the deceased's remains from evil forces. The Fang believe that ancestral power is preserved in their ancestors' remains, and so they are kept in tree-bark boxes as reliquary containers, to protect them from the glances of women and those who have not been initiated. The sculptor of a “byeri” performed a special ritual, which involved sexual abstinence. Once finished, the figures were blackened and covered with palm oil, and held a place of honor in the family home. In addition to their role as “guardians of the relics”, people consulted the “byeri” about the most important life events in the community and they were regularly used in collective rituals where they were adorned with feather plumes, bronze anklets, and multicolored beaded necklaces. Traces of ritual oils can be seen on this figure.