Traditional Baule fly whisks, Ivory Coast, 19th - 20th century.

Traditional Baule fly whisks, Ivory Coast, 19th - 20th century. 

Among the Baule or Baoulé, an Akan group from Ivory Coast, fly whisks are a part of the regalia of chiefs and dignitaries, displayed during public ceremonies and festivals as a sign of rank and status. They are used during traditional dances, and serve important funerary purposes as well. Young women undergoing puberty rituals may also carry a fly whisk  

Baule horsetail fly whisks often feature a gilded wooden handle decorated with carved geometric patterns and human faces, topped by ornamental finials in the form of human or animal figures. Proverbial motifs with a variety of symbolic meanings.