A Carved wooden staff top completely overlaid with Gold leaf. The staff top features a Ram motif on top, a symbol of Power and Might of the Chieftain, as well as two mask like faces, ancestral spirits looking in both directions, representing that the chief sees all that is happening in his village. Akan /Ashanti peoples of Ghana, The Gold Coast of Africa. Such staffs were used by the village Story teller or Linguists, called akyeame, they are important royal advisers. A linguist speaks for the chief and relays the words of those who wish to speak to the chief. Depending on the size of a state, a chief usually has two to six linguists to counsel and represent him. Linguists are eloquent speakers knowledgeable about history, customs, and the law. Their positions are usually inherited through their mothers, although a chief may appoint a linguist. The golden staffs carried by linguists feature carved figurative tops that relate the rich proverbs of the Akan peoples. These proverbs tell of the power of the chief, his right to rule, his responsibilities to his people, and how the people, in turn, should behave toward the chief, the state, and each other. The staff measures 10 inches tall ( 13.75 inches tall on custom display stand.)

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