This Nimba statue also referred to as D’mba statue hails from the Baga clan of Guinea. It represents the mother of fertility, protector of pregnant women, and presides over all agricultural ceremonies. Among many other traditional symbols, the Nimba has become an expression of national pride, as evidenced by the Guinean bank’s use of it on currency and as its logo.

The Baga people live amid the southern swampy lands of the Guinea Atlantic coastline. According to oral tradition, they originally lived along the interior highlands but were driven westward by their neighbors. The name ‘Baga’ is believed to have come from the phrase ‘bae raka’, meaning “people of the seaside”.