Whistle

The eerie cry of a single whistle is one thing, but an orchestra of dozens of whistles played at a funeral evokes the Otherworld. This whistle is in the stylized shape of a person—a common form among the Bamileke people—wearing a prestige cap that is popular in the Cameroonian Grasslands. A whistle can also be played individually to invoke personal protection. The beads covering the whistle were often used as a sign of wealth among the Bamileke people, who entertained extensive trading networks.