Anthropomorphic mask "satimbe"
Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, Munich, Germany
Didier Claes, Brussels, Belgium
Description
wood, metal peg, red, white and black pigment, in shape of a rectangular box with two deeply hollowed channels in front, in which the eye holes have been cut, crowned by a cantilevered stylized half figure with male (phallus) and female (breasts) sexual characteristics, the lower arms carved separately, the facial plane painted in stripes, the forehead with zigzag motifs, slightly dam., missing parts (right ear, hands, drilled holes around the rim partly broken out), cracks (above the right eye), small pieces inserted (base of the figure), paint rubbed off, socle;
the Dogon have a large number of different types of masks, which all belong to the “awa” societies, and appear during the funeral ceremonies of the “dama”. These ceremonies are held every two or three years to honour those elders, who had died in the intervening years. The “satimbe” mask is also used in the “dama” festivities, but upholds a a special position. It represents “yasigine”, the oldest sister of the masks (“sigui”) and the only woman in the village of the “awa” society who is allowed to dance. Literally translated “satimbe” means “sister of the head”.