Tribal Art

Element of a bambara or bozo puppet, a loose costume in colored textile concealing the wearer during didactic shows. This tradition of puppet theater is common to the multi-ethnic peoples living in the interior delta of the Niger, including the Bozo, in particular in the region of Ségou where it is called "sogobo". The Bamana and the Malinké also perpetuate the tradition of "koteba" actor's theater thanks to masks and puppets, and frequent representations of "konoba" or "kotekono" birds, "messengers from beyond". Height on base: 60 cm.
Polychrome patina, abrasions, small accidents.
In Mali, the invention of the puppet is attributed to the geniuses of the bush who kidnapped Toboji Centa, a Bozo fisherman. During his stay with the geniuses, the man becomes familiar with this ...

Sporting an emaciated double face surmounting a long neck, this sculpture of a female bust with folded arms, erect and surrounded by cords, offers a double chest which constitutes its base. Various elements have been added: vegetable fiber cords, glass bead buckles, black metal ornaments. Losses, erosions and cracks from use.
br>"Mani" is a diminutive meaning "little person" which qualifies the human-faced African puppets used by the Bambara and Markha during didactic shows. This tradition of puppet theater is common to the multi-ethnic peoples living in the interior delta of the Niger, including the Bozo, in particular in the region of Ségou where it is called "sogobo". The Markha, also called Warka, live in the north of Bambara territory and have therefore been influenced by ...

The tradition of puppet theater is common to the multi-ethnic peoples living in the interior delta of the Niger, including the Bozo, in particular in the region of Ségou where it is called "sogobo". This element of a puppet-mask represents an antelope thanks to planes and geometric patterns.
Abrasions of use, erosions. Height on base: 64 cm.
In Mali, the invention of the puppet is attributed to the geniuses of the bush who kidnapped Toboji Centa, a Bozo fisherman. During his stay with the geniuses, the man becomes familiar with this unknown art. Upon his return he went to the blacksmith sculptors and taught them how to make puppets of two kinds: miniaturized or enlarged animals and people. The Markha have an initiatory language, a means of communication in the hands of ...

Statue of the "colon" type, whose squat anatomy is embellished with long movable arms. The round head wears a headdress dividing into two lobes, the sides of the face are notched with orifices arranged at regular intervals. Mat patina of use, particularly velvety. Desication cracks, erosions.
The Ibibios, people of West Africa mainly present in the south-east of Nigeria (State of Akwa Ibom), are also present in Ghana, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Secret societies are numerous among the Ibibio settled west of the Cross River. Without a centralized government, their social organization is comparable to that of the neighboring Igbo. Ancestor worship is under the authority of the highest-ranking members of the Ekpo. The latter use masks such as the idiok, related to fallen spirits, ...

The Nyamwezi, Nyamezi, form the largest group among the tribes living in north central Tanzania. Coming from diverse origins, although sharing the same cultural specificities, their ritual and artistic production consequently presents very different formal aspects. The cult of ancestors and chiefs, of major importance within their culture, marked their statuary. The Sukuma and the Nyamézi produced statues depicted in a static position, some of which, with threadlike limbs, evoke the artistic creations of Alberto Giacometti. They were involved in the 19th century in the caravan trade that crossed their territory, the Unyamwézi. They were therefore led to travel from the Congo (R.D.C.) to the coastal cities of the Indian Ocean, where they were called "Nyamwézi", "men of the moon" or "men of ...

A source of inspiration for sculptors, wild and domestic animals also form the subjects of puppet masks such as this ancient and imposing animal figure of an ox or a cow which is extended by a handle.
Matte polychrome patina, erosions and desication cracks. Height on base: 61 cm.

The Bozo , fishermen and farmers for the most part, live in the northern part of the Bambara country in the interior delta of the Niger and still remain semi-nomadic today, moving their homes according to seasonal floods. Mande-speaking people, they speak Sorogama. Within their group, we distinguish the Sorko or Sorogo, the Hain, and the Tie. Besides their remarkable masks, the Bozo and the Bambara are famous for their puppets of various sizes and frequently articulated, exhibited during the ...

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" Mani " is a diminutive meaning " small person " that describes african human-faced puppets used by Bambara and Markha during educational shows. Featuring an elegant emaciated face framed by growths and a crest depicting the braided hairstyle, this sculpture of a female bust offers a curved chest, marked with traditonal incisions, and punctuated by brass inlays. Perfect condition. Greyed brown patina.
High on a base: 63 cm.
In the religious system of Markha society, do is the most invoked and its most elaborate cult. The Markha are organized into structured and hierarchical mask societies as is found in many other ethnic groups. They have an initiation language, a means of communication in the hands of insiders. The Markha, also known as Warka , inhabit the northern ...

Depicting an animal with an articulated jaw, this heavy mask is embellished with a brilliant polychrome decoration. Four curved horns unfold at the top. Erosions from use.
The Bozo , mostly fishermen and farmers, live in the northern part of the Bambara country in the interior delta of the Niger and remain nowadays still semi-nomadic, moving their dwellings according to the seasonal floods. They speak the Mande language and Sorogama. Within their group, we distinguish the Sorko or Sorogo, the Hain, and the Tie. In addition to their remarkable masks, the Bozo and Bambara are renowned for their puppets of various sizes and frequently articulated, which are exhibited during the Sogow Bo puppet theater, which is organized on the initiative of young people in the villages, mainly ...

Among the peoples of the Republic of Congo, the initiation of young people ended with the revelation of the serpent god Ebongo represented in the form of a puppet head. The dances Kibe-kibe, Kebe kebe, which accompanied the ceremony reactivated the successive stages of creation. The Panther clan had a drum as an emblem. For its part, the snake's had carved heads, painted in bright colors, on sticks that the manipulator, hidden under a long robe, held his hands outstretched above his head. In homage to political figures, figures in their image were introduced. This is the representation of the 3rd President of the Republic of Congo Marien Ngouabi, born in the Kuyou region and assassinated in 1977 in Brazzaville. A former Saint-Cyrian, the figure is depicted wearing his beret with a medal ...