Ashanti Linguist's Staff Depicting a Leopard Over a Porcupine, Based

Red spiral pole holds a spotted creature that seems about to pounce.

This linguist’s staff depicting a leopard over a porcupine is Ashanti, from Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved & painted wood. Without a written language of their own, the Ashanti handed history and sayings down by word of mouth, and the article counts over 3,600 proverbs covering nearly every human situation. Pole painted deep red with a spiral groove, wrapped near the top with thin pale bands. A small spotted animal crouches on the upper tip, mouth open and tail raised. A square black foot keeps it standing. It is 6.5 inches wide, 7 deep and 48.5 high.

A small predator, perched safely well out of reach.