BAMANA, MALI

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Among the Bamana, adulthood has historically been attained through instruction within secret initiation societies, collectively called jow. Six of these relate to men while women attend only one. Of these, one of the most well-known is ntomo, a mutual aid association concerned with the education of uncircumcised boys. This is the first level of the jow, and lasts for a period of five years. During this time boys learn secrecy, fortitude and hardship, at certain stages enduring ritual flagellation. The conclusion of the ntomo school comes with circumcision, which removes a child’s “androgyny” and allows them to proceed with further initiation as men.

Members wear wooden face masks during the initiation festival at harvest time. Paired with a full-body cloth outfit, they are highly distinctive due to their high, comb-like horns. The quantity of horns on a mask – from two to eight –symbolizes a human being's levels of increased knowledge and also expresses difference in gender. Some masks in the ntomo tradition bear additional figures that project out from the crown, depicting anthropomorphic and animal spirits relevant to the teachings of the jow.

The profusion of cowrie shells and red seeds that adorns the surface of this Ntomo mask is common for its type, as is its elongated, geometric face and domed forehead. Its seven horns identify it as an androgynous mask.

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