Two staffs "yo domolo"
Mali, Dogon
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Provenance
Udo Petry, Hohnhorst, GermanyDescription
wood, partly encrusted dark brown patina, both in form of a stylized antilope head, one of them with triangular openwork design and forehead nail, small missing parts (left ear tip), l: 58 cm; the second one carved with a standing human figure on the forehead, cracks, small missing parts (ear tips), l: 62 cm;
such staffs are emblems of the society of “yona” or “ritual thieves”. Each Dogon clan has a ritual thief, designated by the clan’s eldest member. The principal activity of the society seems to occur at the funeral of one of its members, when the “yona” all stalk the village, stealing and killing as many chickens, sheep and goats as they can, to be sacrificed and eaten at the funeral ceremony.