The corn husk doll came from the Central African Republic and was associated with magical powers and witchcraft. The doll was made with colored beads for a skirt and black thread wound around the top of the corn stalks for hair. The doll is 9 1/2 in. tall and has light wear on the husk from age and use. The multi-colored beads were worn around the ankles during dances. The beads come with 1 franc coins from French Equatorial Africa and the group measure about 6 3/4 in. wide. The beige-colored root beads came from the Central African Republic and gave off a pungent odor which made local villagers believe the roots had magical powers, and they claimed the roots warded off evil spirits. The roots were tied around the waist, as if to create an invisible shield around the person who wore them. The roots have long lost their odor, but symbolically were an important part of the African belief system. The individual beads are about 1/4 in. wide. and the whole piece is about the size of a fist. The cucumber-shaped gourd was also made in the Central African Republic and hung inside a hut to give villagers villagers success in hunting. The gourd was filled with water for the God of the Wood, also called the God of the Forest, and when the God found water, he would be pleased and grant success to the hunt. The gourd measures 9 1/2 in. long. All from the Dale Baker collection.