Painted a-ndëf Drum with Female Caryatid Figure

Origin: Baga Tribe, Guinea
Composition: wood, paint, hide, rope, nails

In "Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention," Frederick Lamp writes: One of the most enduring ritual institutions of the Baga has been the institution for adult solidarity, which, depending on the region, is known by different names, such as a-Tëkän, a-Warna, M'Nyando, and Këkë. These women's ritual associations are of outstanding importance to the Baga, and their artistic accoutrements—such as this drum—are among the most spectacular contributions by the Baga to the world of African art.

According to the Baga, a-Tëkän was even more important than the male secret society, and would perform during the initiations of new members, at great public feasts, at wedding celebrations, and during the reception of important visiting dignitaries. Women's performances usually entailed a group of drummers and a circle of dancers, all members of a-Tëkän.

The form of the a-ndëf, a female figure supporting a globular object on her head, recalls many situations in real Baga women's experience. Women are the bearers in Baga society, in every sense of the word. It is the women and children who carry the great clay water vessels on their heads from the well at the edge of the village to the storage vessels at home. Women bear large baskets filled with rice from the fields. Also, in the traditional wedding ceremony practiced before mid-century, the bride (wu-fura) performed a dance, the do-fura, in which she carried a spherical basket atop her head, and men and women onlookers would throw gifts of money into the basket as she danced. The bride dancer, like the caryatid figure on this piece, wore strands of flat beads and metal bells at her waist, hung by cords crisscrossing her chest and back (Ref: Lamp, "Art of the Baga").

The photograph below is entitled "Dance of a-Tëkän with a-ndëf drum, Baga Sitemu," and is © Frederick Lamp.

This piece was formerly in the collection of Al Farrow, a world-renowned sculptor whose work was recently featured in “In the Name of God: War, Religion, and the Reliquaries of Al Farrow” at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. It has been in his private collection since the 1970s.

This drum is special within the category of figurative African drums because the scale of the figure, framing, and head of the drum is very balanced. Certain details of the piece point to the care with which the design was executed—the three well-carved braids protruding from the rear of the female's head, the evidence of indigo and alternating color diamonds which frame the base of the drum, and the jewelry carved throughout the figure. The drum head (hide) is original and remains completely intact. A fine, fine piece for a collector of musical tribal art or important musical instruments.

Please contact us to inquire about this piece at (415) 362-6601 or info@sujaro.com.