Origin: Songay? (Republic of Mali)

Dating: second half of the 20th century

Dimensions: height 30.0 cm, width 15.5 cm, depth 9.5 cm

Material: metal (brass or bronze)

Techniques: foundry

Acquired by: Jacek Łapott, arts and crafts shop, Mopti (Republic of Mali), 1998.

Description:

 The Songai live on the banks of the central Niger, mainly in the Republic of Mali, their number at the end of the 20th century was estimated at 2.5 million. The basis of the economy is agriculture, breeding, fishing, trade. In the past the Songai were known as excellent soldiers. In the 7th-16th centuries, the Songai created a strong state in West Africa (now the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger), subjugating other peoples inhabiting this area. From the 12th century, Islamic influences appeared, as a consequence of which today Sunni Islam is the dominant religion. From the fourteenth century, temporarily under the influence of the Mali Empire, the peak of power falls on the second half of the fifteenth century. The fall takes place at the end of the sixteenth century, when it is conquered by the Sultan of Morocco.

Masks made of metal are very rare, they are not used for dancing, they are much smaller than dance masks. The smallest masks are made of gold (especially popular in Ivory Coast), they are most often used to decorate the costume or are worn as a pendant. Masks made of bronze or brass decorate houses and are hung on the wall.

There is a doubt whether - taking into account the history and culture - it is a mask made by the Songai people themselves or only used by them. Against the identification of the metal mask with the Songai is evidenced by the centuries-old Islamic tradition, which effectively displaced traditional religions in which masks played a significant role. The second argument is the lack of developed foundry traditions. However, it cannot be ruled out that it was made by foundrymen from neighboring peoples (e.g. Bamana, Mossi) and only used - as a decoration of the house, without its religious context - by the Songai. Such a thesis requires further research.

Local names use language codes according to the Ethnologue Languages of the World system (https://www.ethnologue.com/)

Bibliography:

Delange Jacqueline, 1967, Arts et peuples de l’Afrique noire, Paris: Éditions Gallimard.

Edited by Lucjan Buchalik

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The purchase is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the National Institute of Museums and Collections' own program "Expansion of museum collections".