King Bay Akiy Statue

The statue of King Bay Akiy embodies many symbols of masculinity important to the Isu peoples. The statue is seated, and what remains seems to be part of an animal. He is naked, with his genitalia displayed, and in his hands he holds a knife and a head. All of these details, as well as the expressive face and defined muscles, demonstrate masculinity and strength to all who view it, even those who are not familiar with the Isu culture. The seated position and facial expression show the man to be in charge and confident, as well as having achieved certain victories. The genitalia represent virility, and the knife and head show strength, competitiveness and the ability to win militarily.
The statue was created with wood, ivory, pigment, hair, bone and cloth. The ivory might tell the viewer about trade, as every other component can be found locally, but initial research has yielded no answers. Cameroon is located on the Ivory Coast of Africa, but the exhibit, and an initial search in the library, did not provide concrete evidence that ivory was either native or common in Cameroon in the 1800s.
The creator of the statue is known for his ability to create incredibly lifelike expressions on his subjects. The statue of King Bay Akiy is no exception to this, and the skill that went into its creation is obvious. The statue is also incredibly simply made, yet the power and masculinity of the subject is obvious to all who view it. Both of these characteristics show a cultural appreciation for art, especially art that displays masculinity and virility in the subjects. It also means that the creator had time to make the statue and refine his skills, which then tells the viewer that the society was specialized and advanced enough by the 1800s for people to be able to make a living out of sculpture, and perhaps out of other art forms.
The subject of the statue is sitting on an animal, and although the entire statue is not still intact, it is possible to see a tail and two back legs. This tells the viewer that the man was originally sitting on an animal like a tiger, leopard or lion. Because the statue is made to show virility and strength, the man is seen as dominating the animal by sitting atop it. However, in reality, there are very few men who would be able to pacify an animal of the depicted size and strength long enough to sit calmly atop it, and still maintain an expression of victory and satisfaction.
The head in the subject’s hand is portrayed with closed eyes, which the viewer may see as a symbol of lower status. They were obviously dominated by the warrior depicted by the statue, and the closed eyes make them seem passive in the face of such masculine strength.
http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/africanvision/figures/pages/2005-6-31/index.html#1