Photographs © Tim Hamill
BAMANA
Puppet 13
22" high x 4.5" wide x 4.5" deep
$800
BAMANA, Merekun Puppets, Mali
This Bamana puppet has been vetted by a French dealer as being authentic with signs of use and age.
Sogo bo, the puppet masquerade drama of the Bamana, is an exploration
of the moral universe.
The relationship between men and women and the problems of domestic relations
in polygamous households are important concerns of many Sogo bo performances.
Conflict among co-wives is a popular theme in many stories and two of the
main characters areBarabara, the Favorite Wife, and the Galomuso,
the Bad Wife. Like folktales and other theatrical forms, these masquerade
performances throw cultural values and social relationships into high relief
and open them up for public scrutiny.
The largest group of masquerade characters and the oldest performed in the theater are bush animals (see Bamana Animal Puppets).
from The Sogow by Mary Jo Arnoldi in Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali. New York: Museum of African Art.
GO TO BAMANA JANUS PUPPET PAGE
GO TO SIDE BY SIDE EXHIBITION PAGE
GO TO BAMANA ANIMAL PUPPETS PAGE
GO TO MASKS AND
HEADS PAGE
GO TO BAMANA JO FIGURES PAGE
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