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Object Details

Kapsiki artist

Mafa artist

Matakam artist

Label Text

Square or rectangular beadwork panels can be found in several U.S. museum collections. The smaller triangular form is much less common. The origin of all three forms is often identified by the pejorative attribution of “Kirdi” or the geographic identification of Mandara Mountains, Cameroon. They are typically described as aprons or cache-sexes worn by girls and women before clothing restrictions were imposed by the influence of Islam and the circa 1961 Cameroon government ban on nudity. Scholars have suggested that the beaded examples replaced earlier iron cache-sexes and were worn on special occasions such as marriage or the presentation of a newborn child. This example retains its edging of cowrie shells, a traditional form of currency that is often removed before sale or trade.

Description

Fiber strung triangle of glass beads in red, yellow, blue, and white horizontal stripes. Two sides edged in cowrie shells.

Provenance

Vincent Abramo, Arlington, VA, collected Yaounde, Cameroon, 1972-2015

Content Statement

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Credit Line

Gift of Vincent Abramo

20th century

Object number

2015-13-1

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Textile and Fiber Arts

Medium

Glass beads, cowrie shells, fiber

Dimensions

H x W x D (w/o string): 15.1 × 22.1 × 1.6 cm (5 15/16 × 8 11/16 × 5/8 in.)

Geography

Mandara Mountains, Cameroon

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

Adornment

Female use

male

Record ID

nmafa_2015-13-1

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7e963d48d-937b-452d-a9ff-ab6f15feeacf