Standing female figure "jo nyeleni" · Mali, Bamana · ID: 3048041
Olivier Castellano, Paris, France
Description
wood, metal, insect caused missing parts, base
“Nyeleni” figures are property of the “jo” (also “dyow”) - society. They are used during “numu jo” initiation performances that take place every seven years. During the performance, the initiate children are “killed” and fully formed men are “reborn” into the community as “children of jo” (“jodenw”).
“Nyeleni” figures are carried by the “jodenw”, or placed on the ground, during the “numu jo” performance of song and dance. “Numu jo” performances tour several villages so that the men can display their newly acquired knowledge and earn gifts of money from villagers.
The object Standing female figure “jo nyeleni” with the object ID 3048041 was last part of the auction 96th Auction at April 24, 2021 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 157.
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