The Moussey (Musey) women of Chad between sacred possession and social liberation: the new exhibition will take visitors to the heart of one of the most fascinating and complex ritual practices in sub-Saharan Africa. From July 15th to September 28th, 2025
The Museum of Chinese Art and Ethnography of Parma is hosting a new exhibit entitled "Possessed but Free Women" from Tuesday, July 15, to Sunday, September 28, 2025. The temporary exhibit offers a journey through one of the most ancient ritual practices, shared by many populations of northern Cameroon and Chad.
When suffering becomes rebirth -
Among the Moussey (Musey) people of Chad, female possession is not only a spiritual phenomenon, but a true social revolution. Elderly women, freed from domestic obligations, embark on a journey of transformation that leads them to become "su fulina" — embodied spirits — taking on a central role in the community that transcends family and village boundaries.
Every woman, in her previous life, has experienced profound physical or mental suffering, interpreted by society as a tangible sign of the interest of a protective spirit. It is through revelatory dreams or natural manifestations — of animals, flowers, atmospheric phenomena — that the spirit reveals to the chosen one her new identity, to be embraced and celebrated.
A journey through objects and symbols. The exhibit presents a precious collection of jewelry, ritual utensils, and period photographs that bear witness to this ancient tradition. Pearl necklaces, bracelets, and anklets, ritual axes, bells, pipes, and belts reveal the symbolic universe of possessed women, along with the sacred colors — red and white, smeared on their bodies — that depend on the spirit that inhabits them.
The exhibit, which goes back primarily to the mid-20th century, offers an authentic glimpse into a practice that places women at the center of essential and vigorous rituals, evidence of an archaic connection to the supernatural inherent in African culture.
This exhibit was developed by Father Antonino Melis, a Xaverian, linguist, and anthropologist, who works between Chad and Cameroon, in the border "The exhibition, he explains, is not only an opportunity to discover artifacts, expressions of ancient craftsmanship, but also a clear demonstration of how women can place themselves at the center of vital social and cultural dynamics, transforming their own status and the customs of an entire people."
A heritage to be preserved - The exhibition is made possible thanks to the extensive ethnographic collections begun in 1901 by Saint Guido Maria Conforti, founder of the Xaverian Missionaries and of the Chinese Museum.
Visit to the exhibit is included in the museum admission price: €5 for adults - €2 for minors. Free admission: disabled visitors, journalists with a valid press card, and teachers accompanying school groups. The museum will be closed for the summer holidays in August.
For Information and Visits, write to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The visit to the exhibition is included in the museum entrance ticket: €5 standard, €2 minors. Free: disabled people, journalists with a card, teachers accompanying school groups.
Museum opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm. Sunday from 3 pm to 7 pm. Closed on Mondays.
Museum entrance: €5 (adults) €2 (under 18) which includes a visit to the permanent collection. Contact us at 0521-257.337.
Info: Museo d’Arte Cinese ed Etnografico, viale San Martino, 8 – 43123 Parma
Tel: 0521-257337 sito www.museocineseparma.org
