Ȯkyeame poma (linguist staff) finial, Asante, Ghana

10.5” tall
wood, pigment

This finial most likely was used as a finial on a Ȯkyeame poma (linguist staff). It features a male figure carved wearing shorts and sandals, with both arms raised and his index fingers pointing upward. When I first acquired this piece many years ago, I mistakenly thought the figure was carved with his middle fingers extended, which I found curious. However, when Herbert (Skip) Cole visited Denver for a talk, he explained that the gesture of pointing upward with the index finger symbolizes pointing to the creator and giving thanks (or something to that effect). They were often covered in gold and sometimes silver, while some were painted and some left plain. The finials of these staffs were removable and changed out as necessary, and they usually always were a representation of an Asante proverb.

”The staff of office carried by aykeame are among the finest examples of the Akan verbal-visual nexus (Cole 1977, p. 9), drawing their iconography from a three-centuries-old pool of motifs that reflect the primacy of the elaborate spoken word in society. Frequently the visual expression of proverbs, staffs with representational finials enhance their holder’s speech. They achieve this by providing additional commentary through the use of easily recognizable iconography that expounds upon the power and nature of the chief. Held in the left hand during speechmaking, or carried while on other official duties, the staffs convey situationally appropriate messages. Most rulers employ multiple counsellors, each wielding a different staff. The enormous variety of motifs used on these staffs is only rivaled by those used in Akan goldweights.” - from the Metropolitan Museum of Art website

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