a-Tshol (medicine) shrine figure and headdress
Combining human features with a pronounced bird beak, a-Tshol was the most revered component of a Baga clan’s regalia. It was cared for by a male elder, who lived with it in the kä-lö-kä-pön (sacred house). Shielded from public view, a-Tshol was the centerpiece of an añ-gbip (altar) composed of powerful objects drawn from the environment, including horns, shells, and palm leaves. The caretaker honored and empowered this protective icon through regular applications of libations. On rare occasions, it was worn atop a man’s head and performed to honor new initiates or the passing of venerated elders. The origins of this hybrid human-avian form are unclear. Most recently, some elders in what have become Muslim-majority communities have recounted its discovery in Mecca, attributing it sacred Islamic origins.
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