It's a long journey from inspiration to fruition; so many factors come into play, so many changes and strange turns in the road, that without a group of supportive co-workers it is terrifyingly easy to get lost. We have been lucky: from the start to the finish, we have had the pleasure to work with people who were not only competent, capable, and helpful but were also enthusiastic. We have felt more like a team than a group of professionals doing their respective jobs. Somewhere along the way, each of us became interested in the whole project, not simply our own segment. For this reason, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who contributed to this catalog, each in his or her own way.

First, David and Clifford Gelbard, whose direct and simple approach to collecting has been refreshing and whose sense of enthusiasm pervades all that they touch. We also wish to thank them for sharing their private collection with the public.

Next we wish to thank Scott McCue and John Massey. Scott's photos have captured not only the images but also the immediacy of the spirit within. John and company have prepared a layout that is both exciting and inventive. We also wish to thank our editor, Karen Beadling, who corrected and smoothed our text.

Special thanks to Stephen and Jennifer LeQuire, the finest restoration/basemaking team — bar none. Mounts and pedestals, touch-ups and restorations in this exhibit were done by this pair of experts whose love for their work is evident in everything they do.

From the academic side, we wish to thank Mike Conner for his text on the Yao initiation figure. We also wish to thank Perkins Foss and the NCMM for the field photo of the Urhobo post (pg. XV).

For the more personal aspect of this journey:

Arthur Bourgeois:
Many thanks for my home support team, Marilyn, Jeanne, and Paul, in enduring my absence and seemingly endless phone calls as Scott and I brainstormed and hammered out succeeding paragraphs. For making the accompanying exhibition possible, Dr. Stuart Fagan, President of Governors State University, Dr. Roger K. Oden, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Lorraine Sibbett, Director of Student Life. Also to my colleague Javier Chavira, I am indebted for generous assistance in the installation.

Scott Rodolitz:
I wish to thank these people for being part of what I do and making it easier to do it: Tanya and Yelena — my two ladies; My Anna; Bruce, Jerry, and Gary; Elvira and Karina; Eric Uhe; Chris and Genevieve McConnell; David and Joyce Lefkowitz; Ben and Susie Katchor; Leslie Fine; Jack Edler; Charlie Jones; "Abe" Aboudoulaye; Neil Carey; J.P. Roth; Jay Auerfeld–somewhere; Steve Earle for Jerusalem, which played continuously — and kept me going; and finally three great teachers who have gone "over yonder" — Carl Schuster, Benjamin Lee Whorf, and Abe Rodolitz.

Rest in peace Eileen, I love you.

- Scott

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