Beaded Chief and Stool

Origin: Bamum Tribe, Cameroon
Composition: glass beads, cowry shells, internal wood frame

This is a highly collectable beaded stool with the image of a Fon from the Bamum in the Cameroon Grasslands. The figure on the piece may be called upon for protection, prosperity, and health, as Fons rule the Grasslands through birth rights. The piece is a fine example of African beadwork and an outstanding prestige piece. The beads are all stitched on by hand, and beads, historically traded as currency, are often associated with wealth and prestige. Secular and religious objects may be adorned with beads in the Bamun kingdom and historically have been the property of the ruling Fon and his family. Est. mid to late 20th century.

The artistic production of the people living in the Grasslands of Cameroon is closely associated with royal and societal ceremonies. Large figures, thrones, and prestige paraphernalia (such as this piece) are used by the king to assert his power. Beaded figures are among the better-known sculptures of the Grassland area. They come from the Bamileke area, but in particular from the Bamum (Bamun) sultanate. Carved with a wooden core and covered by raffia cloth, the figure itself is hidden by a layer of multi-colored beads.

The sultanate of Bamum is ruled by a single, sacred king, known as the Fon, who resides in the capital Fumban. He is assisted by three officials and seven hereditary councillors to rule to 80,000 people.

The Grasslands region, in south-west Cameroon, is a hilly and mountainous area covered by an equatorial forest in the south and a savannah in the north. Politically, the area is divided into numerous small independent kingdoms and chiefdoms, whose powers are counterbalanced by male and female societies. Since its colonization by the Germans in 1884, the entire region, in particular the Bamileke, Bamum and Tikar territories, has attracted the attention of Western scholars because of its artistic heritage (Passage from Bacquart, Tribal Arts of Africa).