Death, Execution, and Human Sacrifice
An Akan linguist staff (okyeame poma), made of carved wood covered with gold leaf. 60” H, Ghana. The staff is in three sections consisting of the finial on top, and two lower segmented staff sections. Michelle Gilbert described the staff as “Showing a prisoner about to be sacrificed: his hands are bound behind his back. A sepɔ (knife) is in his mouth to prevent him from swearing the great oath.” An engraving published in 1882 (see next photo) depicts an Ashanti prisoner condemned to death, being led by his executioners. The image shows a sepɔ (knife) pierced through his cheeks similarly to the figure on the finial of this linguist staff. A ritual executioner, known as an obrafo (Abrafo plural), would use a special knife called a sepɔ to pin a victim’s tongue by thrusting it through their cheeks.The main purpose of this brutal act was to silence the victim during their impending death. By preventing them from speaking, the executioners believed they were stopping the person from casting a curse on the Asantehene, or king or “speaking the oath”. Typically seen in many linguist staffs as in this example is the image of the linked chain. Doran Ross describes this as “The solidity of the family and the integrity of succession are often referenced in carvings and castings of linked chains. Peggy Appiah in a 1977 personal communication cites the following: “If we are linked together like a chain, in life we are linked, in death we are linked. Family links are never broken.” Ex Amyas Naegele NYC, Ex Michelle Gilbert, Ex William Wright, (Wright Gallery, NYC)
An Asante linguist staff finial (okyeame poma) portraying two Asante warriors: one with a gun, standing on a powder keg and the other with an akrafena sword standing on the severed head of a fallen enemy. This could commemorate a localized battle or refer to a historic event in the Asante kingdom. More research and interpretation is needed. It’s still one of my favorite works in the collection. Wood, hammered gold foil, gold staples. 25.5cm H From the estate René David (1928-2015), Zurich. Exhibited: Musée International du Golfe de Guinée, Togo (2005-2011)
