Baumana Tribe Research Paper

Katherine Hoffman
EWP
Bamana Tribe

The Bamana people have many different types of art. As you can see they made masks and sculptures all for very many reasons. Sometimes they make it for ceremonies and sometimes they would create it for their religion. They are the Bamana and they make Bambara art. They are a part of the Mande tribes of West Africa which is why their art is similar to others. They commonly used metals for their art and work the metal to a finished product. The scale of their art ranges but usually consists of medium to larger scale pieces. The Bamana have created many pieces of artwork. The first image of discussion is the Boli figure in Mali. This object once played role in the ritual life of a Bamana village. It is used and owned by male
groups whose members succeed through induction. The Boli is used to accumulate and control the naturally occurring life force called Nyama. The object is for the spiritual benefit of the community. They are used as altars or carried during dance performances. The Boli surface is covered with layers of clay and mud. Boli is pictured to be very thick of mud and clay with four legs at bottom. The top of the Boli has big lump and head at front with no face features. The Tji Wara is a famous figured recognized in the Bamana art community and are usually formed of an antelope type image. They are used to be worn on top of the head. The headdress is used to be performed and celebrate agriculture at festivals. “The figures not only refer to animals associated with farming, but they also mimic the bent form and hoeing action of a farmer.” (Randa African Art, 2004) The Tji Wara is made out of metal and has very long features. There is small detail carved in of lines and dots. The Ntomo mask is worn by boys before they evolve into manhood. The young boys are getting ready for elders action of giving them a circumcision. Some masks are plain wood, but most are covered with white shells. The top of the mask has long horizontal and vertical sticks wood. The face is very long and has a rigid nose. The Bamana animal marionette has some of the oldest characters called bush animals. “In Bamana communities, the bush is defined as the domain of men and the interpretation of the theater's bush animal characters are informed by beliefs and values associated with hunting and with hunters as men of action and society's heroes.” (Hot Moon Collection, 2017) The bush represents many kinds of animals. The puppets are usually made out of wood. Each bush animals figure is designed differently by color, design, size, and etc. The Bamana Mali mud cloth is another famous figure in the art collection of the Bamana tribe.
The cloth is usually worn a by women, but is also used for hunters and warriors to use as camouflage. Women use the cloth as a shroud for funerals and for initiation rituals. “Traditionally certain patterns were used to protect women from hostile spiritual forces during transition into adulthood. Other motifs protected women from harm when confronting and killing powerful animals.” (Authentic Africa, 2017) Women use the mud in the rivers to decorate the cloth. Women also cover and soak the mud cloths with leaves to make the cloth softer. Some ;cloths are used for decoration such as being used as a table cloth. Many of the cloths have a geometric design. The Gwandusu Bamana maternity sculpture are seen as being beautiful in Mali. Bamana’s type of ideal beauty is depicting a loving relationship between a mother and child. The sculptures a majority of the time are enshrined. They are used for public ceremonies. During the ceremonies women will dress and decorate the sculptures. The figures are made out of a dark black metal. Throughout the bodies of the mother and child sculptures they have a long length like
feature.
The bamana people make many different forms of art. There mediums of creation range from metal smithing to fabrics. Most of their work is attached to the rituals and ceremonies that they have. Many of their pieces of art are worn or used at these ceremonies. There is a wide variety of unique quality art pieces hand made by the men and women of the Bamana Tribe. Some of their traditions include sculpting, weaving, pottery, masks, and iron. Art pieces have a wide variety of meaning of some being directed to their religion of Islam to being directed by cultural use.