In the Moba communities of north-east Ghana and north-west Togo, ancestors are represented through stylised, minimalist figures called ‘tchitcheri’. These sculptures are considered sacred elements, and their creation process follows very strict rules: the tchitcheri can only be modelled by the son of a soothsayer, who is able to guarantee the spiritual protection necessary for its creation.
The tchitcheri are distinguished according to their size and function: the yendu tchitcheri, smaller, are intended for personal shrines; the bawoong tchitcheri, medium-sized, find their place in domestic shrines; the sakwa tchitcheri, generally larger, represent ancestors and are associated with the memory of a clan founder. The latter, as in the case of the specimen described here with a height of over 90 cm, are planted in the ground, often up to halfway up the torso, to symbolise rootedness in the earth and in the spiritual heritage of the clan.
See: Kreamer, Christine. ‘Moba Shrine Figures.’ African Arts, 20:2, 1987.