Baule gong beater called Lawle with a male figure as the handle and a bo nun amiun mask at the end.
10" tall
wood, cloth, pigment
$175 - INQUIRE
Gong strikers such as this were used by Baule diviners before a divination ritual to trigger the state of awareness that enables them to serve as
mediums.
"There are two distinct types of gong strikers: kokowa, utilitarian strikers devoid of embellishment, and lawle, intricately carved implements that
display their maker's deliberate aesthetic intentions. In these more elaborate works, the repertory of motifs joined to the handle includes male
and female figures, zoomorphic imagery, and bo nun amuin masks (men's sacred masks kept in bush sanctuaries where women are forbidden to
enter)." Source- Metropolitan Museum of Art
Despite its appearance, I believe this object was made specifically for the collecting market.
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