The Baule people of the Côte d'Ivoire consult diviners for assistance in solving important personal problems and those that can affect the entire village. Personal dilemmas can relate from fertility issues and health concerns to issues of love. Also at times the diviner would be called upon by tribal elders to project the outcome of the possibility of the engagement of tribal warfare. Sculptures are an important presence in the divining sessions. Diviners may inherit such works from older colleagues or commission them based on the direction of a spirit whose insights they draw upon in their professional consultations. The wooden figure presented here is used by a trance diviner. This type of diviner, as the title indicates, goes into a trance induced by a variety of natural ingredients. This is in contrast to other diviners such as those who use spiders to discern the future or truth. Particular libations are poured onto the figure and various medicines are placed on top of the head into the carved bowl to further complete the process. One can not over state the importance of a diviner to not only his tribe but to the entire African mystical culture. 

The Baule ideal sculptural beauty and health is defined by its tribal identifying scarifications, contained postures, which denotes a respectful demeanor, a protruding, swollen belly indicating fertility and the signature Baule muscular legs which are testimony to the figures' youthfulness and health. The important figure here exemplifies all Baule signature traits. It was crafted in the late 20th century. The statue has sustained a crack along the pedestal base along with a few very minor scrapes. All in all the condition is very good and will well serve as a meaningful representative of Baule culture to the African art collector.

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Dimensions: Length 5.5 inches x  Width 6 inches x H 28.5 inches

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