Bamana Jo or Gwan society figure, Mali
wood, pigment
43" tall
This object is being sold on consignment from a private collection.
$400
"In those southern Bamana communities in which the Jo society was active, all young Bamana men were required to become members. The
preparation for the initiation ceremonies, which took place every seven years, required many years of study and work. The training culminated in
jofaga, "killing [in] Jo," in which the candidates are symbolically reborn as a member invested with a new adult status. The new initiate then spent
the next few months traveling to neighboring communities, spending two to three nights in a village while dancing and singing to display his
knowledge of Jo and to earn gifts of money, cotton, or food. The initiate used these figures to enhance such performances and allude to his
eligibility as an adult male seeking a spouse." - From the Metropolitan Museum of Art Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.
This object shows some signs of age but very little signs of real use and it is my opinion this object was made specifically for the collecting
market. It is my opinion that it was carved by a Bamana carver and most likely dates from the period of the 70's-80's.
Recommended reading: BAMANA: The Art of Existence in Mali, Museum for African Art, New York.
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