Tribe: Marka
Country: Mali
Material: Wood, Cotton, Metal.
Size: 37" Tall (94 cm)
The Marka are a subgroup of the Mande (Soninke), whose settlement region extends from the north of the Bamana to the Senegalese border, where they are called Sarakole. A part of this ethnic group that has settled in Burkina Faso is known as Dafing.
They are independent of the Bamana, but show a very strong Bamana influence.
The Marka are most famous for their masks and marionettes, and used these headdresses in relation to and farming. The masks are normally covered with copper or brass sheeting, this is a reminiscent of a more prosperous past, when the masks were adorned with gold. The Marka had agricultural ceremonies known as chi-wara which were held to celebrate the fertility necessary for successful farming. This mask is the male form, the female for was carved with breasts. |
