Senufo Kpeliye mask
Poro and traditional African art
The African kpeliye mask is worn during the funerals of members of the Poro association, which is a system of political and economic control that trains young people through initiation rites and makes them adults integrated into village life.
In traditional culture, the Poro teaches initiates the ability to recognize the signs of their cultural identity. We find in this piece the duality of Senufo thought, that of the ambiguity of the human being, man and woman, twins, body and spirit, life and death.
The Senufo are made up of more than thirty entities with many local varieties of language and culture. Their geographical location is determined by population movements at the rate of history.
Note the presence of the chameleon, totemic animal, at the top of the mask. The series of perforations around the edge of the mask were used to attach a thick raffia headdress.
01381
Data sheet
- Size
- 26 cm
- Ethnic group
- Material(s)
- Wood
- Country
- Condition
- Excellent
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Poro and traditional African art
The African kpeliye mask is worn during the funerals of members of the Poro association, which is a system of political and economic control that trains young people through initiation rites and makes them adults integrated into village life.
In traditional culture, the Poro teaches initiates the ability to recognize the signs of their cultural identity. We find in this piece the duality of Senufo thought, that of the ambiguity of the human being, man and woman, twins, body and spirit, life and death.
The Senufo are made up of more than thirty entities with many local varieties of language and culture. Their geographical location is determined by population movements at the rate of history.
Note the presence of the chameleon, totemic animal, at the top of the mask. The series of perforations around the edge of the mask were used to attach a thick raffia headdress.