African figurine

I found this on my travels recently. It has me intrigued and think it might actually be a piece of African culture and not just some touristy treen. Anyway, it's 26cm tall. There is a rectangular slot cut on the side of one of the hips. Odd!

 

that's one of the crudest carvings I've ever seen............. & not sure it's African either...

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Got to be better than my broken plastic reproduction 21st century totem pole though?

 

I could always be wrong..... it may be a much finer , older ceremonial item that I don't recognize !

 

I'm completely lost with African stuff. There's some really crude stuff on the internet that's very collectible. Dont know what's legit and what's not though. I guess a good book would be a good idea maybe.

 

That lighter coloured chip on one side means the wood was stained, so it isn't an original piece.
Looking through my eyelashes it could be a crude souvenir version of Hemba ancestor figures from DR Congo.

A bit like these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335342138433

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26622882...18f60&pg=2332490&_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1

Paging @2manybooks .

 

Cool. Thank you. I have a ceremonial spoon that is also stained. I shall put that in the same boat.

 

I have been pondering this one. The type of beads and the cowries say Africa. But the carving is very crude, and the distinctive, flattened shape of the head is not a form I recognize. It is somewhat reminiscent of the shape of Asante Akuaba dolls. There are several groups in the West African region around Ghana and Burkina Faso that make "fertility" dolls in different styles. This might be one of those. Or it might just be a simple piece of tourist art.

 

Thanks for the info.