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| The Fagalde Collection of West African Tribal Art |
| The collection which originally numbered some three hundred artefacts and which was previously lodged in the Fagalde Museum in Southern Africa is now in England. The collection has been reduced in size but still contains some superb antique pieces. John Fagalde began collecting items while living in Monrovia, Liberia. Travelling into the bush himself, or using the services of a supplier, he began to accumulate a number of pieces. His knowledge regarding the age of pieces and the superstitions surrounding them attracted the notice of buyers from Europe and America and several items were purchased for collections, galleries and museums. The purchase of items would then provide funds for other artefacts and in this way the collection grew during the course of the twenty five years that he was resident in the country. On leaving Liberia following civil unrest, John then moved to Nigeria where he continued discovering artefacts from a wide area incorporating the Yoruba and Efe tribes. It seemed that the state of political ferment existing in the 1980's brought more pieces to light as instability and fear for personal safety became prevalent. When he moved down to Southern Africa, several pieces were sold to the Standard Bank Collection which is housed at the Gertrude Posel Gallery, University of Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg. Other leading collectors in South Africa purchased artefacts from him for their private collections. The remaining pieces number among them wooden statues, masks and stones. Ibeji twins Kissi stones, Pomtan, Dogon, Sande, Grebo, Baule and Toma are all represented. For any further information on the collection, please contact: John Fagalde 7 Orchard Close Petworth West Sussex GU28 0SA United Kingdom Tel : +44 (0)1730 815726 email: jfcfagalde@aol.com Fax: +44 (0)1730 812531 |
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| Njayei Mask of the Sande Sierra Leone/Liberia |
| Bundu Mask of the Mende Sierra Leone/Liberia |
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| Goddess Odudua Nigeria |
| The Bundu masks of the Mende society are worn by the women of the secret society of the Sande. The women are of the Mende and Temne ehich are found in Sierra Leone and Western Liberia. The style has been continuous for a century its origins are unclear. It is thought that the first mask was presented to the Sande society by the water spirit Mamy Wata but it could also have been made by a sympathetic carver who presented the mask to the leader of the Sande society to prevent her from being recognised. The purpose of the Sande is to accpompany the young girls on their passage into the adult community. They will supervise their training in the skills required of them, anesthetize by hipnosis during female circumcision and sit and receive the gifts presented to the girls by prospective bridegrooms. |
| The Kissi were carved from stone by the Sherbro or Bulom tribes as early as the 14th century and have been found by the Mende while cultivating their rice fields. The Nomoli are representative of ancestors long past and are now belived to increase the fertility of the crops. The statues are alternatively praised or castigated according to the standard of the crop. The head is a realistic negroid design with large protruding eyes, broad lips and broad nose with inflated nostrils. |
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| Kissi stone carving (circa XIV century) Liberia/Sierra Leone |