Bamana
Mali
Northern Africa and the Sahel
Helmet Mask (Kono Kun)
INV-1469
Bamana
Mali
Northern Africa and the SahelEarly to mid-20th century
Helmet Mask (Kono Kun)
Bamana Mali Northern Africa and the Sahel →bamanaArts of AfricaNorthern Africa and the Sahelafrican Artmaskswood
Date
Early to mid-20th century
Medium
Wood, horn, quills, and sacrificial material
Dimensions
22.9 × 103.5 × 28.6 cm (9 × 40 3/4 × 11 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Through prior gifts of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Chapman, Dr. H. Van de Waal; through prior acquisitions of the Robert A. Waller Fund
Led by griots (musicians/storytellers) with an ability to mediate spiritual energy, the name Kono designates one of several Bamana power associations—organizations restricted by age and profession. This type of helmet mask, locally known as Kono kun (Kono head), is danced to control antisocial behavior. Stored in a shrine when not performed, the mask’s carved features and real animal attachments such as horns and quills create a composite entity whose powers derive from the natural world it references.
Also notable
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