African Arts Gallery

This African statue of "little favourite", Nyeleni in Bambara represented frontally, wears a ridged crest, diamond-shaped protruding ears, an acute profile. The scarified bust displays the symbols of fertility that are the breasts in shells, and the prominent abdomen. Light matte patina.
The Bambara of central and southern Mali belong to the large Mande group, like the Soninke and the Malinke. They believe in the existence of a creator god generically called Ngala who maintains order in the universe. His existence coexists with another androgynous god called Faro. Large masked parties close the initiation rites of the dyo association and the gwan ritual of the Bambara in the south of the Bambara country. Spread over a period of seven years for men, they are less demanding for women. The new initiates then celebrate, in groups, from village to village, their symbolic rebirth. It is the sons of the blacksmiths who dance around these statues that were placed outside the festivities grouped on an altar after having oiled and decorated them. Each effigy carried a message revealed to the initiates.