Korikaariye
Used by Senufo Sando diviners to appeal to madebele spirit entities, this bridge-harp plays a central role in divinations and helps achieve a state of extrasensory transcendence. Through call and response, the music of the korikaariye seduces the spirits with its beauty and summons them to consult with the diviner. The female figure rising out of the calabash resonator forms the bridge of this instrument. She is thought to be a sculptural representation of a bush spirit, an idealized woman with an elaborate crested hair style.
The hide strings, like the figural bridge through which they pass, are vertically aligned with the belly; a stringing technique, found along Africa's west coast from Senegal to Angola. African classifications and names of instruments vary from people to people: this instrument is known as sanku (upper Guinea), kasso (Gambia), simbing (Mali), and kora (Senegal). The carved female figure is similar to those found on Senufu rhythm pounders and staffs; it represents a primordial mother image.
The hide strings, like the figural bridge through which they pass, are vertically aligned with the belly; a stringing technique, found along Africa's west coast from Senegal to Angola. African classifications and names of instruments vary from people to people: this instrument is known as sanku (upper Guinea), kasso (Gambia), simbing (Mali), and kora (Senegal). The carved female figure is similar to those found on Senufu rhythm pounders and staffs; it represents a primordial mother image.
Artwork Details
- Title: Korikaariye
- Date: 19th century
- Geography: Ivory Coast
- Culture: Senufo People
- Medium: Gourd, skin, wood
- Dimensions: 25 3/8 × 10 13/16 × 15 3/4 in. (64.4 × 27.5 × 40 cm)
- Classification: Chordophone-Harp
- Credit Line: Gift of The Center for Musical Antiquities, 1983
- Object Number: 1983.76.1
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Senufo
mid-20th century
Baule people
early 20th century
Attie people, Akan cluster
19th century
Mamadou Kouyaté (d. 1991) (bridge by Djimo Kouyaté)
ca. 1960
Ganda
19th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.