Cameroon Grasslands Flute

This finely carved wooden flute come from the Grasslands of Cameroon. These flutes are often labeled as whistles and are played during special dances, like the ndong of the Bamenda people. This flute would have had a piece of twine or braided leather strung through the two holes in the closed end of the flute and worn around the neck. Often these flutes will feature human or animal elements. Currently as it is pictured here, this flute takes on the look of the a forest Buffalo with the terminal lobes becoming the horns, the projecting stops the eyes and the hole for the cord the nostrils.

 It was collected in Cameroon by Gilbert Schneider who, with his wife, were missionaries stationed in Warwar and Mbingo in northwest Cameroon between 1947 and 1961.To read more about Gilbert Schneider Click here.

L. 1⅛" : W. 3" : H.10"