Baule Blolo Bian Spirit Spouse

This Baule sculpture represents a "blolo bian" or spirit husband (blolo bla being spirit wife). In Baule culture, the otherworld, (known to them as blolo), exists in contrast to the world of physical reality, existing in parallel to the lived world and is considered to be the world of the dead. Though, it must be noted that the blolo is more than a place for the 'departed', it is also a place of origin for the spirits of the newborn.

The initial knowledge of ones otherworld mate usually comes from some sort of crisis in young adult life, normally of a sexual nature, such as sterility. The person facing the crisis would consult with a diviner (wunnzueyifue), and it would normally be found out that the problems are caused by the unhappiness or jealousy of ones neglected otherworld opposite. In these situations, the divination could reveal that it is necessary to represent this other world person by a carved statue, to which offerings of food or money could be made on a regular basisand that it is necessary to consecrate one night a week to this blolo person by sleeping alone.

Recommended reading for more information: Dreams and Reverie - Phili L. Ravenhill ISBN:1-56098-650-6.