A small Lobi bateba, Burkina Faso, of the "ti puo" type, the left arm outstretched, posted on a wooden stand. The Lobi people, who inhabit regions of Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, are widely recognized for their distinctive wooden figures known as “ti puo,” which occupy a central position in the community’s spiritual life and ritual practices. These sculptures are particularly significant in the context of death and funeral ceremonies, serving as conduits between the living and the ancestral realm. The term “ti puo,” which translates as “small figure” in the Lobi language, denotes more than a diminutive physical form. Crafted primarily from wood and occasionally adorned with beads, metal, or cowrie shells, these figures are not intended as literal representations of deceased ancestors. Rather, they function as embodiments of spiritual forces capable of protecting the household, mediating interactions with spirits, and maintaining spiritual equilibrium. The abstract and stylized forms characteristic of ti puo reflect the Lobi emphasis on symbolic meaning over realism, demonstrating how aesthetic choices are inseparable from spiritual function. The scholar Piet Meyer, in his seminal work Kunst und Religion der Lobi (1981), provides a comprehensive analysis of Lobi art and its ritual significance. Meyer argued that Lobi figures should not be approached merely as decorative objects; they are active participants in spiritual life. He proposed a typology of Lobi sculptures that distinguishes between ordinary figures, which facilitate daily spiritual mediation; “sad” figures, associated with grief or transitional states; and “dangerous” figures, commonly referred to as Ti Puo or Bateba Ti Pu O, which are endowed with heightened protective powers against malevolent forces and sorcery. In the context of funeral rites, ti puo figures serve multiple functions. They act as protectors of the household during periods of spiritual vulnerability, honor the deceased, and assist in guiding the spirit safely into the ancestral realm. These figures are often placed on household shrines or near burial sites, accompanied by offerings such as food or libations. Their gestures, postures, and occasionally exaggerated features communicate their potency and protective capacity. Ti puo sculptures thus exemplify the Lobi conception of an interwoven cosmos, in which life, death, and the spiritual world are mutually implicated. They operate simultaneously as material objects and living symbols of protection, memory, and ancestral presence. Meyer’s scholarship underscores that the significance of these figures extends beyond aesthetic appreciation; they are integral instruments within Lobi spiritual practice, particularly in moments of transition such as funerals. MAZ09183