Mambila Guardian Figure Tadep Cameroon

Like many pieces from this part of Africa, it is not entirely possible to know why it was made. This figure is a classic example of the Mambila sculpture. The body is very disproportionate. The square shoulders and slightly bent legs are typical of the Mambila figures.

This is a protective ancestor known as a "Tadep" and served as the Mambila focal point of ritual activity associated with the ancestor cult. Protective figures representing ancestors are kept close by shrines, often hanging on the shrine in large, loosely woven bags. These figures, carved by local specialists, are made of raffia bamboo tree pith, or local wood. In addition to its sculptural inventiveness Mambila sculpture is also known for the painting of the raffia bamboo pith figures in bright colors, however, this wood figure has not been painted.

The Mambila of Northern Nigeria are a relatively small group numbering about 25,000 living in a highland area stretching across the borders of Northern Nigeria and Cameroon. They are primarily agriculturalists whose lives are directed by the seasons and the bounty of their fields.

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