Suruku koun (hyena) mask

Malinke numu (blacksmith)

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Bamana mask performances are a means to safely release nyama (life force), which is potentially dangerous in large, uncontrolled amounts. The release of this pervasive energy helped maintain order in the community. Some animals are endowed with more nyama than others. As devious tricksters, hyenas are understood to have a particularly strong life force. Hyena mask performances are marked by unpredictable behaviors, which might include the dancer darting swiftly among the assembled spectators.

Suruku koun (hyena) mask, Malinke numu (blacksmith), Wood, Malinke peoples

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Suruku koun (hyena) mask, Malinke numu (blacksmith), Wood, Malinke peoples
Suruku koun (hyena) mask, Malinke numu (blacksmith), Wood, Malinke peoples
Suruku koun (hyena) mask, Malinke numu (blacksmith), Wood, Malinke peoples

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