Body mask of "poro" society ·  Guinea, Koranko · ID: 3048171

Description

wood, cloth, cord material, clay-like mass, missing parts (outer horns)

Neill Carey wrote a paper on these masks in 2007, locating them among the Koranko, a Mande-speaking ethnic group living in the mountainous regions of the Guinea Highlands.

Masks of the “poro” represent bush spirits called “nyenne” by the Koranko. They are worn vertically on the back and serve to visually distinguish the age grades / ranks within society (boys, men and elders).

The present mask belongs to the Men’s Poro. Two pairs of horns, as well as the magical charge hidden under fabric on the forehead identify it as an extremely powerful mask.

The object Body mask of “poro” society with the object ID 3048171 was part of the auction 97th Auction on November 6, 2021, lot number 131 at that time and is currently available for EUR 2,000 in Open sale.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Carey, Neil, Masks of the Koranko Poro, 2007, p. 22, Fig. 4. Ethnos Publications, Amherst.