Bamana Hunter's Tunic , Mali, African Textile/Costume

Title: Bamana Hunter's Tunic Cowrie Shells, Gong, Mali, Africa
Type of Object: Clothing/Textile
Ethnic Group/Tribe: Bamana
Country of Origin: Mali
Materials: Cotton cloth, fetish packets, cowry shells, iron gong with batter.
Approximate Age: Mid 20th century
Dimensions: 30 inches x 15 inches, pants
Overall Condition: Good
Damage, Repair: wear from use, indigenous repair on one side,seams at edges, stain

Additional Information: This fine hunter's tunic is from the Bamana people of Mali. Bamana hunting-related items are well-known and quite sought-after, and collectors love these pieces since they almost always have a fascinating array of protective and "good-luck" amulets attached to their surface. Our tunic is a simple but authentic examples of Bamana hunter's tunic on which we find cowry shells, and multiple small fetish packets, filled with unknown materials, to ensure a successful hunt. The wilderness is regarded as both dangerous and valuable, both as a source of food and as a source of spiritual gifts. The amulets provide safety and its contents were known only to the owner.

The artistic diversity of the Bamana is without doubt one of the most astounding and confounding, of all West African groups. Like their western neighbors the Dogon, complex religious, funerary, initiation, and agricultural rites have resulted in an enormous pantheon of ritual objects.

Recommended Reading: See Colleyn's BAMANA-THE ART OF EXISTENCE IN MALI.

I have examined this piece and agree with the description

Niangi Batulukisi, PhD.