Guinea, Baga people
Description
Male figure: Baga man
n.d.
Wood, carved
35 h. x 10" dia. WITH BASE
Male figure with artiuclated face and beak-like nose identified as a Baga which are a West African ethnic group who live in the southern swampy lands of Guinea Atlantic coastline. Typically rural and known for their agricultural successes, particularly with rice farming, the Baga people speak a language of the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo family. They are also known for their historic animist pieces of artwork. Known for their beauty and sophistication, these figures have been displayed and held at many major museums of the world. After independence, a totalitarian Marxist government took over Guinea in 1958. Its program of "demystification" lasted till 1984, destroying the traditional beliefs and ritual arts of the Baga people.
Date
n.d.
Creator
Guinea, Baga people
Source
Gift of Dr. Fima and Jere Lifshitz
Identifier
2020.003.030
Collection
Citation
Guinea, Baga people, “Guinea, Baga people,” UCSB ADA Museum Omeka, accessed April 25, 2024, http://art-collections.museum.ucsb.edu/items/show/16580.