Gan(?) Bracelet with Snake Motif

In the southwestern region of Burkina Faso, where the country’s borders with Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire converge, a number of related people live in a cluster once identified by French colonial authorities as the Cercle du Lobi. Among the ethnic groups included in this geographical grouping are the Lobi proper, the Dian, Dorosie, Teguessie and Birifor. Immediately to the west live the Gan, a people who founded their kingdom on gold mining prior to the colonial era. The Gan perceive their land as sacred geography. Hills, marshes, forests, outcrops with caves, and other places were seen as the domains of spirits. Primary among the bush spirits of Gan belief is Dibira, the Great Python. Pythons are neither poisonous nor a danger to adults — although cases of children being taken by the large constrictors have been documented and in local lore are not soon forgotten. However, their physical likeness to far more threatening vipers and cobras, combined with their impressive size (up to 15 ft. for the endemic Central African rock python), make them emblematic of nature’s power and threat. Dibira is the focus of shrines and the inspiration for amulets, bracelets and other adornments that honor the spirit while protecting the wearer. Ex collection Joseph Knopfelmacher, New York. Mounted $350

4″ H

Inquire About This Item