Hyena Puppet Head (Nama, Sogu kun) / Artist Unknown, African, Bamana Peoples, Mali

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About this Item

Record Details

Accession Number
1971/2.23
Title
Hyena Puppet Head (Nama, Sogu kun)
Artist Nationality
Malian
Medium and Support
wood, sheet metal
Object Creation Date
circa 1950
Object Creation Place
Africa (continent)
Mali (nation)
Creation Place 1
Africa (continent)
Creation Place 2
Mali (nation)
Dimensions
38.3 cm x 12 cm x 12.5 cm (15 1/16 in. x 4 3/4 in. x 4 15/16 in.)
Century
20th century
Primary Object Classification
Puppets
Primary Object Type
marionette
Physical Description
Stylized wood carving of hyena head; two pieces of wood joined to form articulating jaw. edged with prominent teeth. short upright ears, long triangular nose or snout; eyes, teeth, nose and crown of head overlaid with sheet metal. Wood is unpainted.
Subject Matter
This hyena rod puppet head is a character featured in the Sogo bò, a puppet masquerade performed by Bamana youth organizations. Still active today, Sogo bò--literally, “the animal comes forth”-- is an important dramatic venue for youth to explore and comment on the tensions between traditional values and contemporary experience. The hyena is especially rich in cultural associations. Depending on the story or subject being performed, he may represent shamelessness, cunning, the inflexibility of custom, even the power to heal.
Rights
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Technical Details

Image Size
895 x 1309
File Size
64 KB
Record
1971/2.23
Link to this Item
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1971-sl-2.23/1971_2.23.jpg

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https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1971-SL-2.23:1971_2.23.JPG

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"Hyena Puppet Head (Nama, Sogu kun); Artist Unknown, African, Bamana Peoples, Mali." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1971-sl-2.23/1971_2.23.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed March 28, 2024.
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