Gonzalez Funes Hernandez (b.1958), Ireme Eribangando , 2000, cloth, burlap, wood, cotton batting, paint, broom fringe, feathers, trimmings, over wire armature, 22" tall, Havana. Eribangando is the Abakua ireme of the "River." He performs cleansings of initiates with the rooster he carries. As Abakua rites and objects are highly guarded, members are not permitted to produce actual attributes for the uninitiated. They can, however produce replicas in miniature of their masquerades and other objects. Thus, the ireme doll continues a more than half-century tradition of Abakua practitioners designing these colorful figures.Though mass-produced iremes (diablitos ) have lined tourist shop shelves for many years, this is a hand made, unique object from materials used in Abakua ritual practice. The rooster is built from cloth and actual feathers.

The back view reveals the sign (firma) of Eribangando, his sombrereta (circular protective "hat"), and the image of Tanse (Lord Fish), the sacred organ of God's "voice".