Mende Female Sculpture

One of the most prestigious Mende Statues by its movement and original details. This significant figure from the Mende people of Sierra Leone is wearing the old fashion four buns. The divisions between them are accented by additional narrow braids gathered together on the lower and upper end of the bun, formed into a knob, and embellished by two silver coins in the front and two leather gree-gree on the side of the hair. The coiffure is called the Ngovalova hairstyle.

Sande wood carvings typically depict females with three rings of flesh at the neck, which is judged healthy, fertile, and beautiful, in contrast to dry and barren girls. The amulet hanging on the neck consists of Arabic inscriptions on paper prepared by a marabout, folded into small packets, and then wrapped in cloth or encased in square or triangular leather cases, as seen on the sculpture. Amulets of this sort are often worn by the Mende as protection against a variety of evils and can be quite expensive.

Scarification tear mark carvings are frequently displayed on Mende faces and bodies. Like on this sculpture, the scarification is all over the chest and on the back of the waist into horizontal rows of lines or squares, characteristic of Sherbro Bullom women. These incisions (kesi) result from a practice common with Mende people in early childhood to draw off harmful blood.

The figure is also wearing anklets in both legs and old type sandals. This slender female sculpture is reputedly used by women diviners of the Yassi society. The Yassi society was a secret society common to both the Mende and Sherbro tribes. This statue was carved in the early 19th century and is called Minsere.