A Large Dan Ceremonial Ladle – Wunkirmian (Wakemia) -Dananè, Cote d’Ivoire

Wood. Clear evidence of ritual use. Cm. 52,5 high (20.47″); cm 57,5 high on the iron stand (22.64″). Grams 1.606 (3.54″ lb).

A Dan ceremonial ladle, Western Ivory Coast, collected close to Danané, border destrict to Liberia, offering a striking abstraction of the human form.

The Dan spoon are an important part of the “Winkirle” procession.

“Artists in Dan communities of Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire have mastered the art of carving impressive wooden ladles that are virtuoso works of sculpture. These ceremonial ladles, known as wunkirmian or wakemia (which translates as “spoon associated with feasts”) are badges of prestige acknowledging an individual woman for her incomparable generosity. Oversized (they can measure up to two feet), they are not so much utilitarian objects as symbols of status and the bearer of spiritual powers. Quality of craftsmanship and complexity of design are constitutive of the work’s importance […] To create such esteemed objects, Dan sculptors often rely on anthropomorphic forms and draw upon elements of style developed in other carvings such as masks and figures.” Source: The Met Museum.

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