Body mask of "poro" society
Click here to view a larger version of the imageLot: 147
89th Tribal Art AuctionBody mask of "poro" society
Guinea, Koranko
Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
---|---|---|
British Private Collection Alain Lecomte, Paris, France |
H: 18.3 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood, nassa snails, animal hair, mass, power materials, red cloth (signifyingin "poro"), base
Masks of the "poro" society incarnate bush spirits, called "nyenne". They are affixed to the back of the masquerader in a vertical position and serve to visually distinguish between each grade in their "poro" hierarchy. Present mask represents a boys "poro" mask. This mask is present at the "birike", the initiation ritual of young boys when they first enter the Sacred Bush.
Carey, Neil, Masks of the Koranko Poro, Amherst 2007