Description
These head dress masks were originally thought to originate from the Batcham area only (hence the name), but they have since frequently been found in all the Bamileke regions of Cameroon. The masks were held up high and used only at royal functions of the local Fon (king), mainly for enthronement and burial purposes. New masks were created with the succession of each new Fon. I have heard locals refer to the masks as chairs, the assumption is that the old masks, originally created for the previous king, were after his departure utilised as chairs.
