ClassificationsAfrican Art

Kono Mask

Place CreatedKoutiala, Mali, Africa

CultureBamana

Datelate 19th-20th Century

MediumWood, fiber, fabric

Credit LineEx coll. William S. Arnett

Dimensions34 5/8 x 6 3/4 x 11 13/16 x 6 11/16 in. (88 x 17.1 x 30 x 17 cm)

Object number1994.004.095

Label TextIn Bamana culture, words contain life force, nyama, and are considered to be as potent as deeds. The control of speech is therefore a power that necessitates special training by the Kono society, which imparts secret knowledge to its members through chanted songs. Bards, or epic poets, administer this society and shape oral history through songs and poetry. In addition to their roles as entertainers, bards have acted as advisers to rulers, thus exerting great political sway.

Kono masks only appear before a restricted audience of male initiates in a secret location in the wilderness. To instruct them in detecting the inaudible, the masked performer "speaks" through a reed flute, producing chanting sounds that represent the voice of conscience. The mask depicts a powerful mythical creature, whose exaggerated mouth signifies the ability of the Kono society to control speech. Elephant-like ears indicate the Kono man's supernatural sense of hearing. Attached to this mask is a type of amulet, composed of a ball of wrapped and knotted twine, wire, and fabric. This amulet represents a secret formula, kilisi, which was activated through ritual chanting, spit, and the act of knotting. It contains stored energy that increases the power of the mask.
Exhibition HistoryMCCM Permanent Collection Installation, November 19, 2007 - December 1, 2014
MCCM Permanent Collection Installation, August 6, 2016 - Present
Published ReferencesMichael C. Carlos Museum: Highlights of the Collections (Atlanta: Michael C. Carlos Museum, 2011), 94.

ProvenanceEx coll. William S. Arnett (1939-2020), Atlanta, Georgia.

Status

On view

Collections