A Bamana Kore initiation society mask

We believe this mask is a Bamana Kore initiatuon society piece which has good age and a fantastic patina.

Each initiation society has its own associated mask type that are mostly zoomorphic in design.

“In the Bamana culture, there are six initiation societies, Kore being the last and is known as the stage of attaining divinity. They believe in endless re-incarnation and that each time he returns to earth, that God removes a portion of his spiritual nature and keeps it in Heaven. Therefore, if uninitiated, the deity will become completely reabsorbed. To ensure infinite reincarnations, the Kore teachings are essential.”*

A truly stunning piece and a superb addition to any collection.

Dimensions:

All approximate

26cm height

17cm width

15cm depth

* “The 2,500,000 Bambara people, also called Bamana, form the largest ethnic group within Mali and occupy the central part of the country, in an area of the savannah. They live principally from agriculture, with some subsidiary cattle rearing in the northern part of their territory. The Bambara people are predominantly animists, although recently the Muslim faith has been spreading among them. The Bambara kingdom was founded in the 17th century and reached its pinnacle between 1760 and 1787 during the reign of N’golo Diarra is credited with conquering the Peul people and in and in turned claimed the cities of Djenne and Timbuktu. However, during the 19th century, the kingdom began to decline and ultimately fell to the French when they arrived in 1892. For the most part, Bambara society is structured around six male societies, known as the Dyow (sing Dyo).”

Condition: Where there are specific points to note we will detail these as far as possible but please be aware that all our items have wear commensurate with age and are as seen in the photographs.