Seated male figure for a komien (trance diviner)

Composed of a series of interconnected geometric forms, this idealized male figure was intended to entice an unruly asye usu, or nature spirit. Kept in a diviner’s shrine room as one half of a male-female pairing, it would have served as the spirit’s seat during consultations to determine the underlying cause of a client’s concerns, including mental and physical maladies. The aesthetic quality of such instruments attests to their efficacy and to the professional standing of the diviner. This example’s refinement is evident in its intricate coiffure, composed of rows of plaits that extend into a pristine, combed bundle and terminate in a single thicker braid. Its delicate facial features are set off by radiating cicatrization marks extending from the mouth and temples. The prominent beard, further emphasized by the shell-shaped hands that frame it, underscores the wisdom and authority of the asye usu that engaged with this sculpture. Remnants of offerings to attract and appease that spirit are visible in the crook of the left arm.