Deguele (helmet mask) with female figure
Senufo funerary rites are multimedia events designed to ensure the integration of the village community with its ancestors and the spiritual world. This striking vertical headdress was carved as the female counterpart to a male version. The pair of headdresses were performed at a kuumo, a final commemorative event marking the passing of all prominent men and women in a village during a set period of time. Unfolding over several days, kuumo ceremonies encompassed a range of music, dances, visual displays, and offerings. Young male initiates of the Poro civic society wore deguele headdresses as part of nocturnal masquerades. During the performance, the masked "couple" and a series of escorts encircled the village, symbolizing the continuity between living members of the community and previous generations.
Artwork Details
- Title: Deguele (helmet mask) with female figure
- Artist: Senufo artist
- Date: late 19th–first half of 20th century
- Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, Korhogo region
- Culture: Senufo peoples
- Medium: Wood
- Dimensions: H 42 in. × W. 9 1/2 in. × D. 8 1/2 in. (106.7 × 24.1 × 21.6 cm)
- Classification: Wood-Sculpture
- Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, Mrs. Gertrud A. Mellon Gift, 1965
- Object Number: 1978.412.507
- Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
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Senufo artist
19th–mid-20th century
Senufo artist
late 19th–early 20th century
Senufo artist
late 19th–mid-20th century
Senufo artist
late 19th–mid-20th century
Senufo artist
19th–mid-20th century
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