Bundu mask
Sande Society, Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone and (Liberia). 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood, cloth, and fiber
The masks are worn by women who have a certain standing within the society, to receive the younger women at the end of their three month's reclusion in the forest. The different elements that compose the masks of this type, the half-closed and lengthened eyes, the delicate contours of the lips, the slim nose, the serenity of the forehead, the complexity of the headdress and the presence of neck and nape refer not only to aesthetic values, but also to philosophical and religious concepts.
Complete Identification:
Bundu mask
No known artist
19th to 20th century
Wood, cloth, and fiber
Sande Society
Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone)
Form:
Dark, painted wood material forms a head that resembles a thimble
A very small face with small features is central and towards the bottom of the head
A sharp point extends up from the face, possibly forming the forehead
Geometric designs surround the pointed forehead on either side
Folds extend from the face to the back of the head
A ring separates the geometric designs from the top of the head
The top of the head has several points which are arranged perpendicularly to the face
Fibers (resembling hairs) extend down from the head
Wild hair style
Function:
Part of a public masquerade that celebrates a girl’s maturation
A female dancer appears in the costume → represents Sowo (water spirit of the Sande Society)
Creates an image that young girls should strive for and mimic
Thought to be a spirit
Mask doesn’t actually speak, but it silently speaks to young girls about ideals through dance –– spiritual knowledge and how to be a wife
When it wasn’t being used in a ritual it was housed elsewhere where it would have been regarded as just a piece of wood
Content:
The full costume, made of a gown of raffia fibers (completely covering her body) and the 2-4 pound mask, represents Sowo
The mask’s deep black sheen and smoothness shows ideal image in contrast to the white clay
The sheen is created by a coat of palm oil → helps to represent healthy and beautiful skin
The mask is idealized → embody physical and moral beauty
The stylized neck rings → fertility, good health, high status
The eyes are largely closed and downcast–– shows a woman should be reserved
The small mouth means a woman shouldn’t gossip
The small ears means the woman doesn’t listen to gossip
Four lines under eyes → scars are an ideal aesthetic
Girls are also called a chrysalis while during the initiation because she is between a girl and a woman–– echoed in the shape of her neck
Context:
During the ceremony, the women’s bodies were painted with white clay –– make them unattractive because they hadn’t yet become women
Only masquerade tradition where women wore the mask
Conflicts in surrounding areas make us unsure if the tradition continued
Mende people
Large ethnic group in Sierra Leone
They are patrilineal and patriarchal (also polygamous)
Mostly farmers and hunters
There are secret Poro societies for men and Sande societies for women (both deal with maturation and political affairs)
The societies are secret, but their existence and role in the community is known
Religion: there is a single creator of the universe (Ngewo), assisted by spirits (Nga-fa) and ancestors
The climate and geography both aid in the cultivation of food and resources used for artistic works (wood, rafia, fibers, etc.)
The Mende are a farming people, so parts of crops that are not used for consuming can easily be used in a mask
Cross-Cultural Connections:
Connects to the Yaxchilan lintels (work 155)
Art can be used to support rituals that we deem as cruel
The Yaxchilan lintels show Lady Xook pulling a thorn cord through her tongue
The Bundu ceremony is connected to female genital mutilation
Themes:
Display
Performance
Identity and maturation
Abstraction and idealization
Symbolism
Gender issues
Sources:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/africa-ap/v/sande-bundu
AP Art History Textbook
https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/peoples/show/mende
