Nama tyétyé (hyena) headdress

19th–mid-20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Performers danced a diverse array of masks and headdresses owned by a ton, or community youth collective, during agricultural rites. Among these was the nama tyétyé, whose vertical, zigzagging extensions evoke the deviousness of the hyena. The headdress is attached to a woven cap worn atop a dancer’s head, while his face would be covered by a cloth with two eye holes. The hyena dance sometimes featured as an interlude, captivating the audience with its quick, acrobatic movements.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Nama tyétyé (hyena) headdress
Artist: Bamana numu (blacksmith)
Date: 19th–mid-20th century
Geography: Mali
Culture: Bamana peoples
Medium: Wood, metal, cane, cotton
Dimensions: H. 22 in. × W. 8 in. × D. 7 1/2 in. (55.9 × 20.3 × 19.1 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.164
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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