Koré Suruku mask - Bambara - Mali

The supreme and ultimate Bambara initiation society, the Kòré, is considered the pinnacle of knowledge, the intelligence of deeds, and true knowledge of God. At this level of initiatory understanding, blasphemy and satire have spiritual cathartic value. The wearer of the mask is a true sacred jester. To exercise his 'priesthood,' the Kòré Duga wears the Kòré Suruku mask, which represents the head of a mythical hyena with exaggerated features: an overly bulging forehead, large straight pointed ears, a very long and high nose, big eyes, and an open mouth. These different parts of the mask symbolize, respectively, the supernatural intelligence of the Kòré Duga, his constant vigilance, his vitality, his accurate vision of things, and finally his proverbial gluttony in the domain of knowledge acquisition, as well as the abundance of his speech. The mask has small vertical slits (scarifications) across the entire width of the forehead and below the eyes, and three long slits along each side, from the base of the ears to the mouth. In the center of the forehead, on a long stem, there is a delicately sculpted figure of a woman, taller than the ears. There are traces of blue coloring inside the ears, the scarifications, and the eyes.
Provenance: N Gom Codov, Paris
Argiles collection, Barcelona