Zoomorphic Figure (Boli)
Mid-early 20th century
Bamana Mali Northern Africa and the Sahel
Mali
The name boli refers to a type of Bamana power object, such as the one shown here that resembles a bush cow or hippopotamus. Each example typically consists of a wooden core wrapped in layers of cotton cloth that are then covered with sacrificial materials including animal blood, plant extracts, and dirt. A boli is commissioned and cared for by a power association like Kono or Komo in order to harness spiritual energy for protective or therapeutic purposes.
Wood, cloth, mud, and sacrificial material