This vintage figure was made and used by Ashanti (Asante) people of Ghana as the focus of a ceremony to ensure the good health, prosperity and strength of the community in which it was located. It was carved of wood and then covered with brass with a repousse technique. The Sankofa bird teaches those who see it that the past informs our behavior in the present and the future. Sankofa is a Twi language expression meaning literally "go back and fetch it".

This statue measures:
15 1/4 x 13 x 5 1/4" (39 x 33 x 13 cm)