Sierra Leone: Mende
Among the Mende, in Sierra Leone, two types of sculpture prevail.
These are figures in soapstone called Nomoli and wooden masks used by the female initiation ceremonv of the Sande society.
The mask is called Bundu by the Sande society.
The Sande society prepares and initiates young Mende girls into responsible adult life.
During the ceremony of initiation, the young woman wears the mask and looks out through slits made beside the jaw at the level of the mouth.
The Nomoli figures which are carved out of soapstone, also
known as soft stone, are used to encourage fertility.
The figures are kept in rice fields to protect the crop and enable it to yield well.
The Mende believe that the figures are expected to steal rice plants from the nearby fields. If this is not done successfully, the figures
would be beaten.
The figures have big, powerful heads and the limbs are projected forward to represent a man leaning against a
back-rest.
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