Bieris of the Museum Felipe Osá Angüé

Dublin Core

Title

Bieris of the Museum Felipe Osá Angüé

Subject

Museum Felipe Osa Angüé

Description

The Bieri figures at the Museum Felipe Osá Angue, associated with the Fang people of Central Africa, are significant artifacts that reflect both spiritual practices and the impact of colonialism on cultural heritage. Originally, these wooden sculptures were created to protect the relics of ancestors, encapsulating the spiritual essence of the departed and embodying the balance between life and death. Over time, however, their meaning has transformed. As Valenciano and Bayre explain, "the Bieri have lost the significance they once held before the arrival of Europeans. They are no longer representations tied to relationships with ancestors, but rather 'statues' of 'black African art'" (68).

In Equatorial Guinea, the preservation of such cultural objects has been largely externalized, with most of the country's material culture now housed in European museums, such as the Museu Etnològic in Barcelona, the Museo Antropológico Nacional in Madrid, and the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. This situation reflects the absence of a formal museological system in post-independence Equatorial Guinea, where the state has not integrated pre-European elements into the construction of a national identity. As a result, Equatorial Guinea remains "a country without museums" (69).

Felipe Osá's approach to displaying these objects is particularly noteworthy. Unlike Western museums, which often emphasize the antiquity and monetary value of artifacts, Osá's museum focuses on the stories and symbolic meanings behind each object. The objects are not displayed in vitrines or on pedestals, but rather on altars, where the distinction between old and new items is blurred. This method challenges Western notions of "cultural authenticity" by emphasizing the social life and biography of the objects over their age or economic value.

Felipe Osá's dedication to collecting and preserving these objects is also significant. He spent many years acquiring items like stools, Bieri figures, masks, plates, and pots from Fang villages, often salvaging them from abandoned settlements. Even when the objects were considered discarded or useless, Osá sought out their owners, asked for permission to collect the items, and negotiated compensation, ensuring that the stories and meanings of these objects were preserved along with the items themselves. This approach has allowed his museum to become a repository not just of objects, but of the rich narratives and symbolic meanings they carry.

Creator

Alexis Hernando Cubas

Source

MUSEO FELIPE OSA ANGÜÉ. Ministerio de Cultura y Promoción Artesanal, GRUPO16NOVENOS. Consulted July 30th, 2024. Url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKVEkHereBE

Valenciano Mañé, Alba and Llorenç Picornell Gelabert. "Un museo sin vitrinas en la selva ecuatorial. La exposición de una experiencia". Hermes, n.º 1, 2009, pp. 67-76.

Date

August, 2024

Rights

Creative Commons

Language

English

Type

Written Text

Coverage

Equatorial Guinea

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Sculpture