Royal Night Staff

Bangwa, Grasslands, Cameroon
19th c.

Provenance: Collected in the Cameroon Grasslands by Robert Brain between 1965-1967. Lee Lorenz collection, New York. Drs. Noble and Jean Endicott, New York.

Published: “Bangwa Funerary Sculpture”, 1971, pgs. 29 and 130. “Wild Spirits Strong Medicine: African Art and the Wilderness, 1989, pg. 135.

This wooden “Night Staff” made by the Bangwa people of Cameroon is a remarkable example of the intricate and meaningful cultural practices of this African ethnic group. This staff is not only aesthetically impressive but also carries deep cultural and spiritual significance. At the top of the staff, there is a crouching four-legged leopard with a human-like face. The leopard is the most dangerous of all wild animals because it is the only one who will attack human beings unprovoked. It appears on this staff as a symbol of power and aggression, an appropriate emblem for a warrior king. The encrusted surface of the staff is a testament to its use in many important rituals and ceremonies. Night Staffs were sometimes used together with Night Masks in specific rituals, particularly in funerary ceremonies. The masks were worn by members of secret societies during all-night ceremonies held in honor of the deceased. The staffs, on the other hand, were carried by members of these societies as a symbol of their rank and power. Together, the staffs and masks conveyed the deep spiritual and cultural traditions of the Bangwa people.