Guinea: Kissi and Baga
The Kissi of Guinea like the Mende of Sierra Leone carve figures from soapstone.
They call these figures Pomdo.
The figures are carved with strong vertical axes ánd they wear a smile similar to the
archaic smile of Greek art.
The Kissi also keep the figures in their rice field to protect the crop and make it prosper.
Kissi's initiates wear fibre costumes and paint their faces instead of using masks.
Baga
The outstanding sculpture of the Baga of Guinea is the mask
known as Nimba.
The people of northern Baga have a society known as the Simo society which performs ritual ceremonies after
the rice harvest.
The Nimba mask is worn over the head and rests on the shoulder of the dancer during the ceremony which is per-
formed after the rice harvest.
Another work of the Baga that is worth noting is the Simo society's drum, which consists of a kneeling figure with other figures round it. It is used during funeral ceremonies of members of the Simo society of the southern Baga.
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