Authentic Bobo Crocodile Oware Game – Ivory Coast (1.08m)
$4,200.00
Authentic Bobo Crocodile Oware Game – Ivory Coast (1.08m)
An extraordinary hand-carved Crocodile Oware Game from the Bwa (Bobo-Wule) people of Burkina Faso and Mali. This rare functional artwork is carved from a single solid piece of wood and represents the crocodile spirit — a revered symbol of protection, prosperity, and ancestral guidance.
Dimensions: (L) 1.08m × (W) 32cm × (H) 24cm.
In stock
Free shipping on orders over $100!
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
- No Hassle Refunds
- Secure Payments
Description
Authentic Bobo Crocodile Oware Game – Ivory Coast (1.08m)
This authentic hand-carved Crocodile Oware Game originates from the Bwa (Bobo-Wule) people of Burkina Faso and Mali, one of West Africa’s most culturally preserved and spiritually rich communities. Known for retaining over 85% of their animist belief systems, the Bwa are admired worldwide for carvings that act not only as functional objects, but as spiritual vessels, deeply tied to ancestral tradition.
Carved from a single solid piece of wood, this extraordinary crocodile is more than a game board — it is a sacred symbol of water, fertility, protection, and prosperity. Among the Bwa, crocodiles embody the presence of ancestral spirits who safeguard the community and guide them through cycles of hardship and renewal.
This symbolism is still alive today in the famous village of Bazoulé, where locals live in harmony with more than 100 sacred crocodiles. According to legend, in the 15th century a devastating drought was ended when crocodiles led the women to a hidden life-saving water source. Since then, the animals have been honoured as guardians of the village. Annual ceremonies, known as Koom Lakré, are held to thank the crocodiles for prosperity, health, and abundant harvests. When a crocodile dies, it is buried with the same reverence as a human elder.
Your piece reflects this powerful story. The crocodile motif, revered across the region, channels the belief that crocodiles are keepers of spiritual equilibrium, capable of signalling danger, attracting abundance, and connecting the living with the supernatural world.
This Oware (Mancala) board — traditionally used for strategy, community bonding, and ritual teaching — has been crafted with exceptional detail. Its elongated form and carved human figure atop the crocodile communicate the Bwa understanding of humankind’s dependence on spiritual forces.
At 1.08m in length, this is a statement work suitable for collectors, designers, and luxury interiors. It sits at the intersection of museum-quality African art, functional sculpture, and historical storytelling.
A piece like this is extremely rare in Australia and seldom appears on the open market in this condition and scale.
Dimensions
• Length: 1.08m
• Width: 32cm
• Height: 24cm
Provenance
This Crocodile Oware Game was sourced directly from the Bwa (Bobo-Wule) cultural region spanning central Burkina Faso and the Mali border. It remained within a West African family collection before being acquired through established regional traders who specialise in authentic Bwa carvings and ceremonial objects. The carving style, patina, scale, and hardwood composition are fully consistent with mid-20th-century Bwa craftsmanship, where Oware boards were both functional teaching tools and spiritual objects linked to water spirits and ancestral protection. This piece has been carefully preserved in private hands before its release to the Australian market, making it a rare and culturally significant acquisition.
