Figure of cult of dead

Carved in steatite, the figure of the cult of the dead pomdo (plural pomda or pomta) represents the figure of a sitting woman. Two human heads are symmetrically placed on her sides. The Kissi regard the pomdo as a manifestation of their dead ancestors. They place them on family altars and make offerings to them. In modern times, they are also treated as good luck figures, who are also considered the guardians of the household.Pomda figurines were usually found in the ground or water channels. They are not the creations of their current users. One theory is that the Kissi ancestors of the Kirim and Bullom, ethnic groups that historically inhabited Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, made them. The purpose of their creation is also unclear. Some researchers believe that they originally depicted figures endowed with cult, glory or dignity, such as leaders of the group or guardian spirits of cultivated fields. Their dating is also problematic. According to some specialists, they date from the 15th-16th century. The difficulties in dating the pomda sculptures are exploited by traders in African sculpture. In recent decades, they have become a unique handicraft product, a souvenir from the seldom-visited ends of West Africa.

Katarzyna Findlik-Gawron