Senufo wanyugo mask, Ivory Coast
28" long x 16" tall
wood, pigment
This object is being sold on consignment from a private collection, TX.
$250
Zoomorphic mask of this type traditionally belonged to the Wabele society, active among the southern Senufo in the densley populated area
around the city of Korhogo. The task of this group is to detect and destroy negative forces (dee bele) and harmful spirits (nika'abele) who, in
the shape of monsters or wild animals, threaten people in times of crisis or vunerability, as, for instance, during burial ceremonies.
The threatening appearance of the Wanyugo mask benefits their purpose of battling evil. Powerful jaws with sharp teeth, recalling
a crocodile's or hyena's snout, and tusks like those of a warthog, underscore the aggressive nature of these masks, which on
occasion are said to have emitted swarms of bees or blasts of fire. The masks derive their power from magical/medicinal
substances (wah) placed in the small cup on their heads, which in this Janus-headed example is held by two chameleons. But the
magic cannot take full effect until the mask is supplemented by a costume of cotton fabric (wao, pl. wabele), and danced to music
in context of the ceremony. Due to the dangerous forces they embody, masks, costumes and appurtenances are treated with
extreme caution, and are kept in an isolated shelter in the bush, or stored together with the paraphernalia of the Poro society in a
sacred grove." Sources - A History of Art in Africa / Africa - The Art of a Continent / The Tribal Art of Africa / The Dance, Art and Ritual of Africa
Despite its appearance, I believe this object was made specifically for the collecting market.
Additional information and examples can be found at the following page: http://www.randafricanart.com/Senufo_Wanyugo.html
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