25 - Statue of Dhamini, a female shaman

Statue of Dhamini, a female shaman Wood weathered in places, crack, missing portion at the tip of one foot, remnants of white clay, original patina, signs of wear and age. Karnali, western Nepal. H. 91 cm. Provenance: Former Joaquín Pecci Collection. Publication: - Himalayas - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert - Éditions LMDD, 2009 - Volume 1, nos. 94 and 95. - *Femina*, Joaquín Pecci, Brussels, Buch Edition, June 2006, no. 37. Exhibition: “Femina,” an exhibition by Joaquín Pecci, Brussels, June 2006. This large statue depicts a dhamini, a female shaman from western Nepal, whose power undoubtedly left a lasting impression on her community. Recognizable by her long braided hair, she lifts her skirt and reveals her genitals in a call for procreation and fertility, as a symbol offered to the continuity of life. Probably associated with a templion altar, such an image could receive offerings and support women in their desire for children, silently embodying the hope of birth.