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

Object Information
  • 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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