Dâgalo (chair)

This three-legged chair (dâgalo in the Nuna language) from Burkina Faso is carved from a single piece of hardwood. African hardwoods, including mahogany, iroko, and wenge, are valued by carvers for their durability, density, resistance to pests and moisture, and fine grains. Like much African furniture, this dâgalo is portable, individually owned, and a sign of status. Carved with an adze by a Nuna blacksmith, or by the owner himself, it is notable for its sharply curved back which also would have served as a headrest. Its three legs identify it as a man’s chair and its owner would carry it in the evening to a courtyard where he would converse with other men of the village. Such handcrafted possessions are treasured as mementos and may be passed from generation to generation until they are worn beyond use (Roy 1987, p. 62).

Enid Schildkrout, 2025
Curator Emerita, American Museum of Natural History