African Arts Gallery

Very graphic zoomorphic mask, whose tubular mouth would evoke "the suction" of knowledge. The matte black patina is imprinted with crusty residue. Minor accidents.
Established in central and southern Mali, in a savannah zone, the Bambara, "Bamana" or "unbelievers", as the Muslims have named them, belong to the large Mande group, with the Soninke and the Malinke. Mainly farmers, but also breeders, they make up the largest ethnic group in Mali. The Bambara nyamakala artisan groups, more specifically the blacksmiths named numu, are in charge of carving ritual objects, endowed with the nyama , occult energy. Using fire and magic items, they are further assigned the role of healer and diviner. Six male associations, the Dyow, using Bambara masks, structure the Bambara community: young people first enter the circumcision society n'tomo, then comes that of the komo, the nama, the kono, the koré and finally the agrarian society Tyi Wara