Standing female figure "jo nyeleni" ·  Mali, Bamana · ID: 3031014

Description

wood, shiny brown patina, scarification marks on body and face, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion, on base;
the “jo nyeleni” figures embody the spirits of the women who once founded the cult of “jo”. They represent the ideal beautiful young woman. The figures appeared at big initiation festivities which only took place in a seven years turn. Mask figures called “yodenw” used to carry them from one village to the other, accompanied by the sound of a special gong, called “mango”.