THE
SPIRIT
The Art of Ceremonial Palm-Wine Vessels
A bilingual art book exploring the artistry, cultural meanings, and ceremonial traditions of African palm-wine cups and related vessels, through selected works from the Tribal and Ethnic Art Center BKO collection.
Beyond the Vessel
In many African societies, ceremonial vessels have carried meanings far beyond their practical function. Through sculptural forms, carved faces, and intricate patterns, they express artistic knowledge, social distinction, and relationships with ancestral traditions.
A Museum-Catalog Approach
THE SPIRIT brings together carefully photographed objects and scholarly descriptions in English and French. Each featured work is presented as a cultural and artistic testimony, with attention to form, material, context, and documented provenance.
Art, Ceremony & Memory
Artistic Traditions
Distinctive sculptural languages and craftsmanship across African cultural regions.
Ritual & Social Life
The place of ceremonial drinking vessels in hospitality, status, and ritual life.
Preservation & Research
Documentation that supports cultural knowledge and transmission to future generations.