Fang Bwiti Fetish Figure

Iron, leather, and a body built like a small bastion.

Fang makers of Cameroon, Central Africa, formed this fetish figure from iron and leather in the 20th century. The record names it a Bwiti figure, and Bwiti is associated with Fang ritual practice. Here the torso is a stout, ribbed block studded with rounded knobs down the chest, with short upraised arms and two splayed legs that give it a wide, braced stance. The surface is dark and gritty, brown with an oxidized rust tone, with leather bindings still visible.

About 7 inches tall. Fits a shelf, though it does not behave like it fits.