Mask "koma ba" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Mau · ID: 3034498

Description

wood, shiny dark brown patina, pointed nose, pierced around the rim, min. dam., cracks, traces of insect caused damage, small missing parts, metal socle;
the “koma” of the Mau is an initiation society that apears to be heir to societies of this type among the Bamana. “Koma ba”, a fierce detector of sorcery, sings and dances to attract evil spirits. Her male counterpart, the crude “koma su”, whose cries fill the night, destroys evil spirits by hunting them down in the bush, armed with a lance and a sword. Both masks are only allowed to be seen by the initates. They were kept in a sacred hut at the heart of the sacred enclosure and were objects of sacrifices.

Comparing literature

Barbier, Jean Paul (ed.), Art of Côte d' Ivoire, Vol II, Genf 1993, p. 59, ill. 84 f.