Tongo Player Figure

A carved, wooden, likely representation of a Tongo Player; the Tongo Players were witch finders in southern Sierra Leone in the late 19th and early 20th century. They wore a girdle of stiff leather flaps, called kololewengoi, as this figure does. The figure holds what looks like a rattle in front of him, and has been painted in red, white, and brown, paint. This carving is similar to another in the British Museum collection, accession number Af1938,0216.5, and was probably also carved as a representation rather than a ritual object.

Further Information

  • Type: Figures, sculpture
  • Object: Tongo Player Figure
  • Materials: Wood
  • Culture Group: Mende
  • Dimensions: 550mm [H] x 200mm [W] x 200mm [C]
  • Production Date: Pre 1949
  • Associated Places: Unknown;Vai, River
  • Associated People: K. J. Hewett Ltd
  • Museum: British Museum
  • Accession Number: BM:Af.1949.15.2

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