Rare EWE FON YORUBA Cowry shell Fetish Babalu Aye (Vodun Voodoo Vaudou Santería)

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Rare EWE FON YORUBA Cowry shell Fetish Babalu Aye (Vodun Voodoo Vaudou Santería):
$175.00

Gorgeous antique fetish doll from the Ewe people of west Africa measuring about 9in tall by 4in, in both width and depth. This fetish doll most likely represents the Orisha (a spirit representing one of the various manifestations of the supreme God), Babalu Aye (known among the Ewe as Anyigbato) whom the Ewe believe to wander the wilderness at night wearing a robe of shells. Babalú-Ayé translates as “Father, lord of the Earth” and is the Orisha associated with all earthly things but in particular sickness and disease; both as a bringer of (he is often called \"the wrath of the supreme God\") and as the spirit that cures them. Since Babalu Aye is often invoked to cure disease, this fetish was probably used by a Ewe priest during ritual attempts to cure various diseases (the wood hoop at the top of the head suggests this doll may have been attached to a staff or hung around the waist of the priest). This would make a wonderful addition to your African Art or Antiquities collection or as a gift to that Vodun practicing friend. Please email with any questions and please view my other listing for more African art and Antiques.SIDE NOTE: The Fon, Ewe and Yoruba are closely related ethnic groups of West Africa, sharing many customs and religious tradition but maintaining different languages and self identifying as culturally distant from each other. The Fon and Ewe both call their religion \"Vodun\" which was transported to the Americas during the Atlantic slave trade (according to some sources; the Fon, Ewe, Yoruba and other similarly related ethnic groups made up to 40% of all slaves taken from Africa). In the Americas that native religion evolved becoming what we know as Santería, Vaudou and Voodoo (as well as a few others).