Baoule Monkey Mask
Ivory Coast
13 in.
Wood

The Baoule tribe comes from the legend of Queen Aba Pokou who led her people on an exodus towards the gold mining areas during the 18th century and had to cross a river where she was obliged to sacrifice her son to the river god, thus giving her people the name 'Bauli' which means 'the son is dead'. (48, Bacquart)

There is an intense personal link between an individual and an object and the significance of an object that is present but not visible. Occluded audiences and objects created for unseeing spectators are central to the pattern of art in Baule life. Mbra cults, which may be practiced by either men or women, are the central catalysts for this artwork. In these highly sensitive ceremonies, some of these sculptures may not be seen by women, even if women are the ceremonial leaders or "trance diviners" who conduct the meetings. According to the Baule culture, the spirit that lodges in the figure may "fall on" this woman, possessing her body. This probability creates a difficult paradox, "No other person has a more significant connection with it (the statue) than she does, yet she has no right to see it." (193,Vogel)

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