Figure of a hermaphrodite
Mali, Dogon
not available anymore
Provenance
Jean-Michel Huguenin, Galerie Majestic, Paris, France (1980s)Size
H: 25 cm
H: 9.8 inch
Description
wood, strongly encrusted patina, base
Many different substances are used for sacrifice, including the blood of chickens, sheep and goats, millet porridge, mixtures of various fruit and plant juices, flour made from the fruits and seeds of the baobab and “yullo” trees, and concoctions of burned herbs, charcoal, and shea oil or the oil of the “sa” tree.
These sacrificial materials served as vehicles for “nyama”, the vital force that determines a person’s mental and physical well-being.