Hyena mask – Wood – Bambara – Mali

Powerful wooden African Hyena mask of the Bambara-tribe from equatorial Africa. It takes the form of a stylized hyena head with slit eyes, a pair of ears and a beak-like square mouth. Good condition with traces of wear and tear and a beautiful aged patina.

The Bambara originated as a royal section of the Mandinka people. They are founders of the Mali Empire in the 13th Century. Both Manding and Bambara are part of the Mandé ethnic group, whose earliest known history can be traced back to sites near Tichitt.
The Bamana became the dominant cultural community in western Mali. The Bambara language, mutually intelligible with the Manding and Dyula languages, has become the principal inter-ethnic language in Mali and one of the official languages of the state alongside French.
The Bamana people adapted many artistic traditions. Artworks were created both for religious use and to define cultural and religious difference.