WOOD, COWRIE SHELLS, HEIGHT 97CM
BANGWA, CAMEROON

The Bangwa are one of the smaller tribes in the Cameroon grassland and form a small kingdom within the much larger Bamileke society. The kingdom consists of only 9 chiefdoms.  The portrayal of the dancing Queen is a well known subject of Bangwa art, but it is quite rare to see statues of the royal couple together. The intricately crafted decoration with cowrie shells makes the figures come alive, one can actually sense the rhythmic movement of the arms and legs.