A Bamana or Mianka "Boliw" collected in Koutiala, Mali. Signs of ritual use and age. “Among the most sacred objects among Mali’s Bamana people is the “boli”, which plays an essential role within their spiritual life. Boliw have attracted much attention from Western collectors due to their amorphous forms and unusual materials. Its cracked surface obscures the exact identification of the organic and inorganic materials assembled to create the “boli” (pl.: “boliw). They are not carved, but rather assembled and molded around a wooden armature core that is wrapped in white cotton cloth, around which clay and sacrificial materials are encrusted. The main function of a “boli” is to accumulate and control the naturally occurring life force called nyama for the benefit of the community. All the ingredients from which it is composed possess this important spiritual energy. The encrustation may include the blood of chickens or goats, chewed and expectorated kola nuts, alcoholic beverages, honey, metal, animal bones, vegetable matter, and sometimes millet. As the encrustation cracks and hardens throughout the years, it gives the impression that these ingredients are tightly packed within the “boli”. As the sacrificial materials accumulate over time, each added layer affords the structure greater spiritual power.” Source: Duende art projects CAB27820