Mask "ntomo" ·  Mali, Bamana · ID: 3034463

Description

wood, partly encrusted patina, blue pigment remains, crowned by seven horns and a standing female figure, remains of resin-like mass, inset with cowrie snails, rep. (breakage at one horn), fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, metal socle;
in Bamana society each member has to pass through six initiation levels during his life in order to achieve perfect wisdom. Present mask belongs to the first initiation level, “ntomo”, which is followed by “komo”, “nama”, “kono”, “tjiwara” and “kore”. When entering “ntomo” the young boys had to learn how to keep silent and how to suffer in silence. According their main song goes: “shut up, shut up, the spoken word is the enemy”…

The object Mask “ntomo” with the object ID 3034463 was part of the auction 72nd tribal art auction on March 9, 2013. The object with the lot number 263 achieved a sales price of EUR 4,400 with an asking price of EUR 2,500.

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Comparing literature

Colleyn, Jean Paul (Hg.), Bamana, Zürich 2001, p. 105, ill. 81