This Tellem/Tintam statue is from the Dogon people and is said to be influenced by the Tellem tribe who were deposed by the Dogon. According to Dogon oral history a snake led them to the their current location were they seized the land and deposed the Tellem and Niongom tribes. The statue is a remnant of the sculptures and figures that were carved by the Tellem. The real purpose of the figure is rather obscure, but it has been suggested that the gesture of the statue represents a plea for rain, which was presumably an important part of the Tellem ritual. The figures would have also been regularly sprinkled with blood as part of the ritual. This Tellem figure is quite rare as it depicts a man who is supported by four women. This suggested that the figure was not only used to bring fertility to the land through rain, but also fertility to the tribe. This is a wonderful illustration of the rich diversity of Dogon culture.