Nama tyétyé (hyena) headdress
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
- 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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