This wooden Senoufo rider from the North of Ivory Coast with his hat (which strangely looks like a french beret) on his cute horse will be the perfect guardian for your home.

The statues of horsemen, generally of small size were sculpted in order to venerate and keep in memory some famous chiefs or ancestors within the group. The statues were also used in the divination process.

In the northern part of the Sénoufo country, the possession of a horse was a sign of power and wealth, depending on the rarity of the animal and the difficulty of keeping it. The horseman statue was not an object of worship, but rather a sign of reverence to a notable. It was also not shown, but was part of a collection of objects forming part of the teaching of the sacred wood to evoke a former dignitary.

Some bush spirits prefer to travel on horseback, and the diviner may have a figure of a horseman made in order to please them. Moreover, the depicting of a helping spirit as a horseman emphasises its important position, for horses were the exclusive property of rulers and prominent people and are still considered symbols of power and authority. At the same time, a bush spirit on horseback can travel faster and visit more places, which makes for quicker and more efficient divination.

Good to know :

• Dimensions : Height 22,5 cm

• It’s vintage from the 80/90’s and had been loved before

• Condition : very good