Featured Ethnic folk art waiter ..from where?

Saw this painted wooden chap at the flea market this morning and had to give him a new home ..he's about 3 feet tall.
Not sure what ethnicity and apparently seller picked it up in a church sale so no provenance there either.







Any ideas gratefully received!

 

This shape seems similar

 

it does, where dat, dat hat?

 

https://picclick.com/Black-and-White-African-Hand-Woven-Kente-Kufi-163700017940.html

 

Ok, could be, thinking more of a taller Fez like hat though?

 

Fez may work. The hole could be where the tassel was.

 

not a hole - just paint ...

found this, similar uniform ...India

https://in.all.biz/waiter-uniform-g243309

 

The carving is African, and representative of the genre of African Colonial Art, from western Africa. Most was from the Ivory Coast, made by Baule carvers, but the style was copied by other tribal carvers as well.

It depicted European colonial officials, or Africans in "Europeanized" occupations such as doctors, soldiers or technicians, in Western dress. Although it began in the colonial period, it is still produced today for the tourist market.

 

Such carvings are derived from the Baule tradition of carving "spirit spouses", called blolo bla. The later versions, depicted in colonial/westernized clothing, are referred to as "colon". For more information see:
Philip Ravenhill: Dreams and Reverie: Images of Otherworld Mates Among the Baule, West Africa. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996.

 

At least I entertained you until people with real knowledge came along.

 

..and I appreciated it, Kiko!

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks!