African Arts Gallery

Kono Bambara Mask (N° 14138)

Ex-african art french collection.
Used in the context of the cult of Kono , an ancient initiation society that has spread to Mali and western Burkina Faso, this African mask of Mali embodies the duality of the individual, through a representation endowed with zoomorphic attributes. The function of this object is to try to effectively direct the strength of the fawns "waraw", to attract their protection to promote female fertility and the fertility of the land, to guard against witches and to exercise justice. Characterized by two high parallel ears, with a crenellated edge, hollowed out round eyes and a long open-top jaw, this mask is smeared with coloured pigments and drippings following ritual libations. It is equipped with a pouch fitted with a padlock, in which magic materials have been inroduited. Localized abrasions of the patina.
Establishes in central and southern Mali, in a savannah area, the Bambara ," Bamana " or " unbelievers ", as the Muslims have named them, belong to the great Mande group, along with the Soninke and Malinke. Mainly farmers, but also herders, they make up the largest ethnic group in Mali. Animists, they believe in the existence of a creator god generically called Ngala, who has 266 sacred attributes. One, every day of the 9 lunar months that lasts the gestation of a child. Ngala maintains the order of the universe. His existence coexists with another androgynous god called Faro, who gave all the qualities to men and who grows the fruits of the earth. The groups of artisans bambara nyamakala , more specifically the blacksmiths named numu , are in charge of the sculpture of ritual objects, endowed with the nyama , occult energy. Using fire and magical objects, the role of healer and soothsayer is also attributed to them. Their powers are passed on to their wives, who alone have the right to produce pottery. Six male associations, the Dyow, using Bambara masks, structure the Bambara community: young people first enter the society of circumcision n'tomo, then that of the komo, the nama, the kono , the koré and finally the agrarian company Tyi Wara .