Final Day in Dakar

November 8, 2007, Institut Fondamental de l’Afrique Noire (IFAN) Museum, Dakar, Senegal

Due to an unfortunate incident with a young man who was trying to steal money from me, I spent my last evening in Dakar cooped up inside the hotel. Part of the evening was entirely dark due to a blackout. The hotel chef was kind enough to prepare a vegetarian meal for me and I met an interesting Algerian business guy for a chat at the hotel bar.

My final day in Dakar, I went to the Institut Fondamental de l’Afrique Noire (IFAN) Museum.

The museum had interesting exhibits of the various peoples of West Africa and their masks and other ritual objects. I took a lot of notes.

Afterwards, I tried to mail some heavy documents at the post office. I had to take a taxi to a special post office for mailing packages and they told me it would cost almost US$100 to mail 7 kilos of printed materials. I decided to wait for Mali to see if it would be cheaper. The taxi rides around town and to the airport provide an excellent opportunity to get an idea of the terrain in Dakar.

Notes from IFAN Museum in Dakar:

Women’s initiation, Mande, Sierra Leone, masks showing stages of initiation

Nigerian sanctuary statues from near Port Harcourt, River State

Ekoi, Nigeria, Janus helmet, River State

Initiation of boys, Bassari, Senegal, circumcision at age 13, to become a man and learn mystical, technical, and artistic knowledge, large round masks around face with frame structured

Initiation of boys, Boukout or Bukut, Diola, Senegal, every 20-25 years in different villages, announced 3-4 years in advance, ceremonies, festivals, dances, sacrifices, Kuisen ceremony — maskes with horns called ejumba, in Balingore region other masks called samaï and niagarass

Diola, Senegal, couple statuettes, Bignona

Diola, Senegal, giant carved wood pitchers with handle (shape like beer stein) for palm wine, Ziguinchor regionally

Baga people in Guinée, banda or kumbaduda is long horizontal mask combining royal crocodile, chameleon, antelope, and human imagery with colorful geometrical representations, man metamorphosing into a genie

Baga, tam-tam drum on wood stand

Bidjogo, Guinée, archipel de Bissagos, Ile de Ponta, hippo mask

Ghana, Ashanti, Asipim, ceremonial chair, wood, leather, and copper(?) tacks

Ghana, Ashanti, large ceremonial tambour drums, pegs mid-level stretch animal skin attached by cords over the top, intricate geometrical and symbolic designs on base

Ivory Coast, Sénoufo, maternity statue — baby at breast, statue of woman

Mali, Segon (or Ségou), Bamabara, “Chi-Wara” or “Tyiwara”, worn on top of woven cap with cowries, i.e. top of head, one of six “confrèries” in which Bamabara is initiated, mythical hero related to cultivation of the earth, also stylized antelope carvings

Nimba and D’mba, of the Baga and others, ideal image of feminine in society, also have fecundity figure, both with pendulous breasts

Boke, Guinée, Baga, Yombofissa, ritual animist object for female initiation preparation

Kout’ala (or Koutiala), Mali, Manianka wood statuette of mother carrying child on back

Cameroon, Bamiléké mast for curing sterile women, has lengthy phallus

Benin, Porto Novo, Tôhôlu statue representing water spirit with HUGE hanging phallus

Ghana, Kumassi (Kumasi), fecundity puppet, Akwaba statuette, shaped almost like ankh symbol (see drawing in journal)

Ghana, Cape Coast, Fanti puppet for fecundity

Ghana, Kumashi (Kumasi), Ashanti double fecundity puppet

Mali, Sikasso, Manianka statuette, hands on belly holding face

Ivory Coast, Senoufo, creator of world god named Koulotiolo, mother of the village god Katiéléo

Pono (or Poro?) initiation rituals in sacred forests, three cycles of seven years is 21 years, receive ritual names at each level, proofs of endurance, secret language

  • Poworo, children 7-12 years old, farming and intro to initiation
  • Kwonro, adolescents, liturgical rites, ceremonial dances, and warrior training
  • Tyologo, 12 levels depending on knowledge with top level called Kafa around 30 years old

Ivory Coast, Karogo, Senoufo, Masque-Cimier, Nayogo, beautiful cowrie-studded mask with beak and long tail

Senoufo info: present-day Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana–

Poniugo = zoomorph masks

A. Helmet masks:
1. Poniubolo
2. Gpeligeniugu
3. Waniugo

B. Frontal masks:
1. Navigue
2. Nasolo (or Nagolo)

Kpelihe anthromorphic masks

1. Kpelihe korrigo
2. Kpelihe kodalu

Masques-Cimiers

1. Noukorgo
2. Niara
3. Najago
4. Goro

Statuary

1. Grand Calao: Setien
2. Maternity: Nong
3. Guardian: Nanferre
4. Pilon: Deble
5. Mythical Ancestor: Pombibele
6. Statuette: Madebele
7. Magical: Kafi Gueledo
8. Canes: Daleu

Masques Cagoules: Kodalu

1. Niongbelleque
2. Kouto
3. Kama
4. Kpakpayira
5. Yaladiogo (or Yaladogo)
6. Kakpolefala
7. Niarou
8. Yebligue

Mali, Dogon, days of mourning in which women wear cowrie masks covering their faces, other masks too, Mopti, Sikasso regions

Mali, Dogon, Mopti region, Bandiagara circle, pillar “d’abri des hommes”?

Several “magic” figures from Ivory Coast (masks for singers):

Yacouba
We
Man
Glé

Nigeria, Yoruba, Oya, Ibadan region, polychromatic mask, also statue of woman holding “une coupe”, Gélédé society for prosperity of women

Benin, Fon, Abomey province, divining cup, carved wooden bowl on stand in shape of bird, Pierre Verger received it from son of the last great Bokono king, also textiles with allegorical stories, colorful appliqué technique, also iron and copper “autel” for royal ancestors, Asen

Mali, Bambara, special clothing for hunter, triangular geometric design, also Ségou region — cane of culture with carved head on top, also marionette, also long mask of Komo society

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