Statue Hermaphrodite Dogon, Mali Aux Bras Levés

Rare Dogon statue said to have raised arms, height 70 cm, so-called abandonment patina, wear, traces of wood-boring, one arm reattached....
As soon as we look at this statue what jumps out at us is the very voluntary gesture of the outstretched arms, which reminds us in the West of "hands in the air" a sign of submission, we surrender we capitulate...several interpretations run on this gesture, appeal to the divinities, appeal to the sky for rain, expression of honesty and purity: I have nothing to hide...
He is a bearded hermaphrodite man with sagging breasts, which unlike the West are very appreciated in Africa because it is a sign of multiple diapers and breastfeeding, therefore a woman respected and admired by all.
The statue rests on a board, this is common for these statues with raised hands and this only exists for them.
Note the 2 small children on their stomachs hiding their eyes, they are not initiated and therefore cannot look, also appreciate the balanced repetition of the triangular shape of the neck with the breasts and the knees which gives rhythm to the work .
Object with a beautiful old patina. It's the same type of statue as the one on Quai Branly (last photo), relatively speaking!
A video=> VIDEO