Virtual Museum of African Diaspora

Virtual Museum of African Diaspora

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Baga

The Baga (population 60,000) have lived on the coast of Guinea-Conakry since the 14th century. A steady stream of invasions (including from the Susa, Djalonke, Maninka, Fulbe and French colonialism) had shattered traditional Baga life by end of the 1950s. One of the final blows was the forced conversion to Islam culminating in the systematic theft or destruction of all religious artifacts.   

Large a-Tshol 

wood

58” wide

Baga Bird(s) a-Bamp or a-Bemp

polychromed wood

26” tall 

This figure depicts a hornbill (a large marsh bird) with a baby riding on its back. Although this appears to be a free-standing sculpture it was in fact fastened on top of a headdress and worn by boys engaged in a very acrobatic dance. 

These dramatic images combine both bird and human features and were kept in altars and protected by the family elder. These are powerful objects capable of protected the village in times of crisis. In addition, the head was removed from the base and danced ad harvest celebrations, male initiations and funerals. The Baga see birds as a bridge between this world and the spirit world. To see the a-Tshol at the Museum of African Art in Washington, DC click here. 

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