Very good point David, the Asian origin has been in my mind. I am happy to rule out North Africa as there is a strong history of gun making and trading there. Large parts of East Africa are desert, semi desert, savanna and grasslands so the distant viewing would figure there too. What makes me think it is from E Africa is that many peoples encountered by the Germans had not seen white people before and must have been in awe of there weapons. There may have been some use as a dummy but personally I tend to feel the likeness is more totemic and in a way similar to the mind set of South Seas cargo cults. There is also the similarity of styles and construction and the wood shown all seem to clearly African. It would be fantastic if other examples along these lines were to come out of the wood work but I doubt they will. I will more than happy to eat my words.
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