By Andrew Skerritt
A new series of exhibitions begins at the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Meek-Eaton Black Archives (MEBA) Research Center and Museum Monday, February 27, with “Field Spirits of the Fante.”
Ten original sculptures carved by Lobi craftsmen will go on display, giving insight into daily life, spirituality, and agricultural practices of Ghana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The exhibition launches a new series on Land, the Environment, and the African Diaspora presented by the center in partnership with the new Lola Hampton Frank Pinder Center for Agroecology and the FAMU African American Studies Department.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to present these amazing sculptures to the Tallahassee community and beyond,” said MEBA Director and exhibit curator Timothy A. Barber. “On arriving at FAMU in July 2022, I was immediately drawn to the craftsmanship of the Lobi artisans who created these sculptures from 1870s – 1940s. Each sculpture presents a different outlook on life in the fields of Ghana at the dawn of the emergence of a colonial society in Africa.”
The Field Spirit sculptures date to approximately 1870-1940 and offer a glimpse into the influence of colonial oversight. They were crafted by Lobi craftsmen, who were known to be skilled, imaginative, and non-Christian, with the purpose of protecting women and children, homes, crops, domestic animals, and hunters. They also acted as a warning to those considering venturing into protected lands and homes or stealing from the property owner.
While there is rich documentation of the cultural and political history of the Fante, little is written about how their spiritual worldview intersected with their traditional lives, including agricultural practices. These objects represent their beliefs and reflect the subtle shifts in cultural norms brought about by the imposition of political and social change.
The collection was donated to the Meek-Eaton Black Archives Research Center and Museum in 2019 by the estate of the late Professor Nana Apt, a lifelong collector of African art and cultural objects. The estate of Marian Sylvia Horowitz of Ann Arbor, Michigan, endowed the collection. Richard Douglass, Ph.D., author of the accompanying book “Field Spirits of the Fante,” secured, restored, and preserved the donation.
