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.
- Secondary Keywords
- animals and creatures
- biological components
- buildings and the land
- components
- components and systems
- components by specific context
- descriptors
- inorganic material
- mammals
- materials
- materials by composition
- metal and metal products
- objects we use
- performing arts buildings
- performing arts structures
- puppets
- recreational artifacts
- recreational artifacts for noncompetitive activities
- sculpture
- sculpture by material
- single built works
- single built works by function
- single built works by specific type
- the human body
- upper body
- visual works
- visual works by medium or technique
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- 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
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1971-SL-2.23:1971_2.23.JPG
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- Full citation
-
"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 June 14, 2024.