The ceremonial fan, a variation on the staff form, also served as a public proclamation of regal status. A queen mother or noble female carried it at ceremonial displays of Asante nobility. A young girl might also borrow such a fan for ceremonies celebrating her coming of age. The outstretched hand atop the fan’s handle is a playful sculptural touch. The idealized female head and hairstyle suggest desired attributes of a noble woman. The spider and web motif on the reverse side evoke Ananse, the iconic spider-trickster of Akan folklore, whose tales often caution against vanity. Ananse might warn, “Do not think too much of beauty.”