I found this lovely souvenir in a market stall in Bakau, Gambia. It stood out among the animal woodcarvings and batik fabrics. The seated wooden figure is covered with sead beads, conch shells and amulet bags.
When I asked the price, that stood out, too. It was my last day in the country and I only had a few delasi left, so I walked away empty handed. Later, I found a similar figure at a market in Dakar, Senegal.
Does anyone out there have any information about this bead covered wooden statue? Any information would be appreciated. I did a Google search and all I came up with was an ebay auction for two figures listed at $1,000! And the closest thing I’ve found would be beaded wooden Namchi dolls from Cameroon, but they aren’t quite the same thing.
Souvenir Museum 