AFRICAN GRASSLANDS BAMILEKE BAMUN CALABASH WINE VESSEL CAMEROON MUSEUM EXHIBITED

Description

L
arge Grasslands (Bamileke, Bamun, Tikar) Palm Wine Vessel - Cameroo
n
Early-Mid 20th Century, Original
Calabash, vegetal fibers
Height 43.1cm ( 17in
)
PROVENANCE:
Lewis and Sonja Pate Collection, Whispering Pines, NC. Field collected early to mid 20th century.
Dr. Carlton W. & Helen Moore Collection, Waldorf, MD.
Fayetteville Museum of Art, Fayetteville, NC, 2001 (Accession No. 175.528)
Deaccessioned and sold to fund construction of the new museum in Festival Park
EXHIBITED:
Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville Museum of Art, Art of Africa (Museum Permanent Collection), 2001-2010
*Provenance documentation on file and can accompany the artifact for historical conservation purposes.
Description:
Vessel of gourd form with narrow spout and woven base for suspension.
Provenance: This magnificent Grasslands calabash was formerly in the Lewis Pate, Dr. Carlton and Helen Moore Collection. The Pate & Moore Collection was generously donated to Fayetteville Museum of Art in 2001 (Accession No. 175.528). Founded in 1972, the Fayetteville Museum of Art moved in 1978 to its current facility, which was the first building constructed in the state of North Carolina for the purpose of housing a museum. Its collection features 393 African artifacts, donated by Lewis Pate and Dr. Carlton W. & Helen Moore. A wide range of ceremonial masks, carved figurines, statues, textiles, jewelry, weapons, furniture, door locks, drums, and musical instruments make up this collection. The museum does not currently have the space to display its African pieces on a regular basis; however, they are available for study by appointment. The museum is relocating to a much larger facility in the next few years, and hopes to create a designated gallery for regular rotating exhibitions of African art (Tribal, 2012). Cf. Museums - Fayetteville Museum of Art, Tribal Magazine, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. The Grasslands calabash was deaccessioned to fund the construction of the new museum in Festival Park and acquired at the museum benefit auction. Curatorial Remarks: Great condition, displaying surface wear commensurate with age and use.
The grassland region, in south-west Cameroon, is a hilly and mountainous area covered by an equatorial forest in the south and a savannah in the north. Politically, the area is divided into numerous small independent kingdoms and chiefdoms, whose powers are counterbalanced by male and female societies. This exceptional antique calabash was used for storing and serving mimbo (palm wine) on festive occasions. Palm wine plays an important social role in many West African societies, including the Bamileke, Bamun, and Tikar cultures. The ritual consumption of palm wine was practiced at funerals, marriages, and as a reward from the Fon (king) to his loyal subjects on special occasions. The cradle and hanging support surrounding the present example were fabricated from woven vegetal fibers.
Cf. International Mission Photography Archives, University of Southern California (Reference No. E-30.89.010), Archives of the Basel Mission, Switzerland (Reference No. QV-30.481.4983), and Bottle (Object No. 2006-15-47), Bamileke, Cameroon, Penn Museum, Philadelphia for comparable examples.
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