BAMANA STYLE KOMO MASK, Mali

Despite its appearance and traditional form, this mask has not been vetted as authentic and was probably made to be sold. 


 BAMANA STYLE , Komo Mask 7, 19.5" long, s$500

Photographs © Hamill Gallery

BAMANA STYLE , Komo Masks, Mali

Bamana Komo masks and headdresses are of elongated animal head form decorated with actual antelope horns, porcupine quills, bird skulls, feathers and other objects as vessels of power. The headdress are worn horizontally. The sacrificial material seen in the encrustation on the surfaces of these headdresses (also known as a helmet masks) are an indication of their connection with one of the three main Bamana power societies: Komo, Kono and Nama. These headdress are typical of the Komo society, which functions as the custodian of tradition and is concerned with all aspects of community life-agriculture, judicial processes, and passage rites. The Komo is a secret power association of priests, knowledgeable elders, and blacksmiths that forms the central Bamana social institution. Members of the blacksmith clan are born into the Komo society because of their ability to employ the forbidden power of fire to transform matter from one form into another. Blacksmiths of the Komo society wear the society headdress or komo-kun during a dance to invoke nyama, the force that activates the universe.

From an article in African Arts, Winter 2001, by Jean-Paul Colleyn and Laurie Ann Farrell

GO TO BAMANA KOMO MASKS ARCHIVES PAGE (ALL SOLD)

GO TO BAMANA ART PAGE

GO TO BAMANA KONO MASKS PAGE

GO TO BAMANA MASKS PAGE

GO TO BAMANA CHI WARA HEADDRESSES PAGE

GO TO MASKS PAGE

GO TO BAMANA JO MATERNITY FIGURES PAGE

GO TO BAMANA BOLI FIGURES 2 PAGE

HOMEPAGE

 Index by
TRIBE

 Index by
OBJECT

CONTACT US