Dimensions: H:15.4" W:5.1" L:2.8" Weight: 1.1 lbs.
Bamana (Bambara) N'tomo Mask from Mali - The Bambara men of Mali are regulated by six initiation secret societies. The N’tomo society is the first to welcome young boys on their journey to manhood. The N’tomo serve to socialize and educate the boys in the community until the time of their initiation and circumcision. The boys wear this mask during initiation celebrations.
About the Tribe
Bambara is an ethnolinguistic group from Mali's upper Niger region whose language, Bambara (Bamana), belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. The Bambara are to a great extent intermingled with other tribes, and there is no centralized organization. The Bambara and other groups excel in the creation of wood carvings of masks, statues, stools, and objects used in traditional religions. The Tyi Wara, or gazelle mask, of the Bambara is remarkable for its fineness of line and distinct style.