Male ancestor figure "singiti"

wood, rep. (base), on pedestal

This idealized portrait commemorated and honored the lifetime accomplishments of a deceased male ancestor. With its serene expression the figure embodies the dignity and wisdom of a respected elder.

As spiritual mediators between the living and the dead, these figures were preserved in a shrine, where they were paid homage with prayers and blood sacrifices.

The figures also provided a powerful ideological message about family continuity and legitimized the political authority inherited by the ancestor’s living kin.