14 - Bâton-sceptre cérémoniel Tefalipitya, Senoufo, Côte d’Ivoire

Bâton-sceptre cérémoniel Tefalipitya, Senoufo, Côte d’Ivoire Late 19th century Wood, deep black patina, oozing in places H. 65 cm With supreme elegance, this female figure captivates with her haughty bearing, the sophistication of her hairstyle, and her deep brown patina, which subtly highlights the curves of her body and the delicacy of her form. A long ceremonial staff topped with a female anthropomorphic figure. The Tefalipitya—literally “daughter of the hoe’s work”—belongs to the ritual world of the Senufo initiatory societies, particularly that of the Poro. In the Korhogo region, these staffs were awarded to young men recognized as champion farmers during agricultural competitions—one of the greatest honors that could be bestowed. They were used in the dances and celebrations associated with these competitions before being preserved and passed down from one generation of champions to the next. They might also appear at the funerals of former farmers. Beyond its function as an agricultural trophy, the Tefalipitya honored not only the champion farmer but also the residential and lineage group whose pride and prestige he embodied. The young woman depicted at the top represents the feminine ideal, the ideal of beauty, and the complementarity between young men at the age of initiation and marriage. Provenance - French private collection Littérature Other comparable topics in: Anita J. Glaze, “Staff for Champion Cultivator,” in Susan Vogel (ed.), *For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection*, exhibition catalog [New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1981] New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1981, pp. 48–49 On Senufo Champion Cultivator Staffs, exhibition catalog [Maastricht, TEFAF, March 2014], ed. Bernard de Grunne, 2014 Rapport de condition Replaced staff handle