Model Boat

Date

late 19th-early 20th century

Creator

This model racing canoe, one of only a dozen or so examples worldwide, epitomizes the competitive aspect of the political and economic system in Duala, a port city located in what is now Cameroon. Each year during the Ndongo festival, the various "kings" assembled for feasts, dancing, wrestling, and canoe-racing competitions. Each boat featured the flag of its house and an elaborate, painted ornament (known as the tangé) at the prow. Some canoes were large enough to hold 50 rowers. The culmination of the festival featured divers who swam to the estuary floor to collect messages from the ancestors. Thus, the Ndongo festival cemented political and economic relations while acknowledging the prowess of the most talented athletes.