A very interesting, rare, standing figure from the Kaka people, who live in the borderland between Cameroon and Nigeria. The sculpture is carved from very hard, heavy wood. The head bears a central crest, a short, small nose, hardly noticeable eyes, large, flat ears and a long straight goatee with lines in relief.
The wide open mouth dominates the face of this Kaka figure – it is reminiscent of the famous painting ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch.
The elongated body of the sculpture descends from the almost ‘neckless’ head. It has protruding shoulders, slightly bent arms carved free from the body, and large hands. The navel and sex are accentuated, the hips and buttocks form an unusual, protruding bulge. The two relatively short legs thicken at the knee and stand strongly on large feet. This male figure bears a heavily stylised child on his back, carved out from the same piece. Around this, in the shoulder blade area is a semi-circular, slightly protruding notched double line.
The thick, extremely encrusted sacrificial patina from clay and soot that covers the entire figure in a black, coarse substance is ‘typically Kaka’.
Little is known about the Kaka people, the eastern neighbours of the Mambila, or about the purpose of their highly expressive figures. They are placed in shrines and receive many sacrificial offerings (as can be seen from the patina) and protect against evil spirits and witchcraft.
The present figure is a typical, old and perfectly preserved example of Kaka sculpture. It has some cracks due to age on the head and body and an authentic, black, encrusted patina, which is truly valued by connoisseurs. Very rare. Height: 60 cm; width: c. 13 cm. Between the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
French private collection; currently: German private collection.

Lit.:
‘Die Kunst des schwarzen Afrika’ by Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, ill. 534 (an almost identical item); ‘Encyclopedia of African Art and Culture’ by K.-F. Schädler, ill. p. 314.