What: Wooden wunkirmian (feast ladle) from the Dan peoples of Liberia/Côte d'Ivoire
Where to find it: IU Art Museum
Why you should care: Though a large spoon with legs and feet belongs in nursery rhymes and surrealist fantasy in the West, among the Dan peoples of inland Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire, it is an emblem of honor, a symbol of generosity and the embodiment of spiritual power. Feast ladles such as this were traditionally owned by a woman judged to be the most hospitable in her village. The museum's example is one of the two most common forms. The legs and feet are said to represent the people who arrive -- usually on foot -- to be fed by the ladle's owner. More frequently seen is a handle consisting of an elongated neck and female head, said to represent the original owner of the ladle.
Source: IU Art Museum
