Wunkermian or Wakemia Feast Ladle

The Dan produce elaborate, beautifully carved spoons. Though these are occasionally used to distribute food at large feasts, the spoons serve primarily as symbols of a woman's respected position in her community. The carved head of a woman on the handle sometimes depicts the owner but more often is a stylized image of the Dan ideal of feminine beauty: pointed oval face, high forehead, narrow eyes, thin nose ridge with flaring nostrils, and full mouth. The hairstyle refers to the special grooming of persons high status.