Djimini Mask Do Society Ivory Coast African Art

Additional Information:

Though being heavily influenced by the neighboring Senufo in their art, the Ligbi/Ligbe and Djimini people of the Ivory Coast have incorporated these influences into their own identifiable style. Similar to Senufo "Kpeliyee/Kpelie" masks! This Ligbi version retains the Kpeliyee mask elements of the wings by the eyes and hairline, bird legs at the side of the face and the scarification marks on the face. Another mark of Ligbi origin is the use of the patterned scarification above the eyes and the elaborate coiffure very similar to the Baule hairstyles.

This wonderfully carved mask combining human and animal elements. Though the Ligbi people are predominately Islamized, masks with human faces surmounted by horns representing a ‘bush cow’ and called by them “Siginkuru-ayama” were worn by the men’s Do society who appeared to dance at the funerals of Moslem holy men and the ‘Id-Al-Fir’ ceremonies to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The use of masks such as this one with it’s with well carved abstracted human features were generally forbidden to Moslems by the Koran as they were required to not carve ‘human graven images’. The mask was worn with an elaborate costume consisting of a shirt, grass skirt and trousers made from locally woven cotton. Each time the mask is danced it is redecorated with the addition of paint to emphasize scarification and facial details it has however been cleaned and given a coat of wax to enhance it’s sculptural appeal.