Chair (Gba)
Dateca. 1925
Mediumwood, copper alloy and cowrie shell
DimensionsOverall: 11 7/8 x 10 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (30.2 x 26.7 x 26 cm)
ClassificationsFurnishings
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number90.0026
DescriptionThe back, made from a naturally curving branch, is an addition, made after European contact, to the typical African low stool. Stools are closely associated with their owners and not to be used by anyone else. They are taken along when visiting and often passed down from one generation to the next. A young girl borrows her grandfather’s chair to use in her circumcision camp. She doesn’t sit, but kneels on it and also uses it as a rhythm pounder. These chairs are so low because at night they serve as a headrest.