Cooking Vessel on 3 Legs
CHAMBA PEOPLE
NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA
20TH C.
TERRA COTTA
8.5'' DIA X 12.6'' H
The highest online bid placed for each lot prior to noon
02/25/2011 will be honored as the starting
bid in the live auction at Primitive.
The Chamba of Nigeria/Cameroon believe in a cosmic world in which the interaction between God, the dead, the creatures of the wild and the 'children of men', constitute a common arena of daily concern. In that habitual life, God (Su), associated with the sun (su), and the dead (creatures of the past who live below), interact with men and 'things of the bush'. All that happens in the world takes place because of God's will, and is also ordered by him. The dead (wurumbu), while living under the ground, follow the same lifestyle of humans, as they live in houses, keep livestock, follow certain paths in their way to market and so on. However, they are richer, wiser and more powerful than humans. Only a certain category of people, seers (lit. 'persons with eyes') are able to see what is happening to the dead, for example if they are angry, while the living can only see the convulsions of the seer, as ordinary people do not have 'eyes' to see the dead.
Many of Chamba symbols relate to their constant 'management' of jup, somehow potentially dangerous agents that need to be controlled. Therefore, materially, those agents are present through 'things' (jup pen), or performances such as libations and sacrifices. Dances, songs, noises, gourd horns, rattle sacks of basketry, iron rattles and bullroarers are symbols of their presence. There are several forms of masks and animal forms that are used in public ritual performances, and that symbolize the habitual interaction between the creatures of the wild and the children of men. While we do not know if these striking 3-legged pots were for food preparation or ritual use, that does not diminish their wonderful form and workmanship as objects of beauty and spiritual presence.