African royal officials, chiefs, elders, ritual specialists, and other leaders hold staffs that distinguish them as persons of rank when appearing in public. Although staffs may appear to be functional objects like walking sticks or clubs, their primary purpose is symbolic. Female imagery on men’s staffs suggests interdependency between the genders and matrilineal lines of descent. The materials from which a staff is made also signify status and influence. Rare and exotic materials such as brass tacks and telephone wire add textural interest as well as convey a leader’s access to foreign goods. Gold leaf and iron assert that the staff holder’s roots and power are drawn from native earth.