Fang Walking Stick - Fang

Dimensions: L:58.7in W:3.5in D:5.1in

Fang walking sticks are typically handcrafted using natural materials like wood, which is carefully selected and shaped to create the desired form. The decorative elements on Fang walking sticks often hold cultural and symbolic significance. They may depict various motifs and symbols representing aspects of Fang culture, mythology, or spiritual beliefs. Common motifs found on Fang walking sticks include animal figures, ancestral spirits, geometric patterns, and stylized human forms. Fang walking sticks serve both functional and symbolic purposes within the community. Functionally, they provide support and stability while walking, especially in rugged or challenging terrains. Symbolically, they can also serve as status symbols or markers of authority and social standing within the Fang society. In certain rituals or ceremonies, walking sticks may be used by individuals in positions of importance or during traditional dances and performances.

About the Tribe

The Fang tribe also spelled Fãn is a Bantu-speaking ethnic group living in the forests south of the Sanaga River at the southernmost tip of Cameroon, the mainland of Equatorial Guinea, and the forests south of the Ogooué River estuary in northern Gabon. They often retain the bones and skulls of their ancestors because they believe that these skeletal remains are still in power. This power is extremely powerful in the tribe's daily activities and important moments such as initiation rites, or in cases of conflict or death, or for advice on more mundane matters such as hunting or fishing. The Fang referred to this practice as bieri, and they usually kept only male ancestor relics in the bark containers.