Individual power figures

You are looking into the eyes of a bocio statueAlso spelled boccio or bochio from Togo in western-coastal Africa. The term bocio describes a little wooden figurine, usually created from a single piece of wood. As is the case for most bocio figures, the face is the only part that has been worked out in detail, whilst the other body parts have mainly been omitted. Its facial features consist of round, bulging eyes and an open, oval shaped mouth.

Our figurine comes from an area where the religious worldview Vodun has been practiced for hundreds of years up until today. In the belief of Vodun, the world was created by the supreme god Mawu, who is supported by numerous gods and goddesses, spirits, and ancestors. The belief in spirits is central to the belief of Vodun in general, but also to the practice of using bocio statues for protection.

Our bocio figure is unique - there are never two that look exactly alike. Each figure serves a specific situation. Our little statue might have embodied a specific deity, an ancestor, or a natural force - but no one but the owner will ever know its meaning and aim with certainty.Lloyd D. Graham, “A comparison of the anthropomorphic Vodun power-figure (West African bocio/bo/vodu/tro) with its Kongo counterpart (Central African nkisi),” direct Release to Academia.edu (2019): 17.

Bocio figurines like this could be found in most households practicing the religious world view Vodun. Where would we find them in a traditional Vodun household?