This Baga statue is known as an A-Bemp or “the bird”. Headdresses are typically created in this style for boys to wear during rituals and masquerades. This statue features beautiful patterns and colors on the sides and there are two other anthropomorphic figures on his back. The statue measures 34 inches tall, 37 inches including the custom base, and weighs 44 pounds. There is a crack that goes through the beak, possible previous repair, and some cracking scuffing and general wear and tear throughout – please inspect photos.
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The Baga people live amid the southern swampy lands of the Guinea Atlantic coastline. According to oral tradition, they originally lived along the interior highlands but were driven westward by their neighbors. The name ‘Baga’ is believed to have come from the phrase ‘bae raka’, meaning “people of the seaside”.
Read more about the Baga here.
Colorful Baga Bird (A-Bemp) Statue 37″ – Guinea – African Art
Original price was: $750.00.$375.00Current price is: $375.00.
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| Type of Object | Figure, statue |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Guinea |
| Ethnicity | Baga |
| Animal | |
| Material | Wood, Pigment |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 34" figure, 37" including base |
| Width (Inches) | 16” |
| Depth (Inches) | 18” |
| Weight (Pounds) | 44 lbs |
| Overall Condition | Previous repair/crack to beak. Cracking, scuffing and wear and tear throughout. |
Tribe Information
About the Baga People
The Baga people live amid the southern swampy lands of the Guinea Atlantic coastline. According to oral tradition, they originally lived along the interior highlands but were driven westward by their neighbors. The name ‘Baga’ is believed to have come from the phrase ‘bae raka’, meaning “people of the seaside”.
Read more about the Baga here.
Additional Information
About the A-Bemp Headdress
At adolescence, young boys of the Baga enter a new stage. They form wrestling groups, and much of their ritual has to do with combat. They also continue to conduct their own ritual, some of which involves masquerade. A headdress shaped as the figure of a large bird has long been one of the most popular masquerades of young men and boys. It is called 'the bird' -'a-Bemp' or 'a-Bamp'.The basic headdress is simply a bird form with a long neck, a long beak, a pot-bellied body, and broad striped wings over the back. A stake extends down from its belly, used to insert into an armature that the dancer wears on his head. The headdress can range in form from softly naturalistic to extravagantly abstract and composite. Many of these figures bear twin miniature birds on their backs, often in conjunction with a miniature house. A checkerboard pattern often appears on the bird's front.