Sejen (bird)

19th–mid-20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

Emblematic of specialized knowledge and authority, sejen reinforced social hierarchies within the institution of Poro. Members of this influential civic society are instructed by elders about social obligations, community history, and genealogies. During kworo (a secondary initiation rite), young men carried these heavy sculptures on their heads or displayed them around the sinzanga (sacred grove) in which the ceremony took place. Alternatively named kasinge (the first ancestor), these commanding sculptures stood as ancestral sentinels. In that role, they protected the newest initiates and ensured the continuity and perpetuation of Poro knowledge and social systems. Today, sejen are rarely used in the sacred groves, although in both Mali and Côte d’Ivoire contemporary versions of this classic form are carved for Western consumers.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Sejen (bird)
Artist: Senufo artist
Date: 19th–mid-20th century
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, northern Côte d'Ivoire
Culture: Senufo peoples
Medium: Wood, iron, pigment
Dimensions: H. 56 1/4 × W. 24 1/2 × D. 15 1/2 in. (142.9 × 62.2 × 39.4 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Object Number: 1979.206.165
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

Audio

984. Kids: Bird (Sejen), Part 1

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