Description

The Djimini, like the Tagouana, are Mandé people of northern Ivory Coast. During Samory's conquests, they paid a heavy price for refusing to negotiate with him. Colonized by France in the 19th century, they adopted the imported religion. For these two reasons, masks and statuary largely disappeared among these two peoples. However, a few rare masks and statues, believed to represent benevolent spirits, were preserved. The thick, black patina on the surface of this Djimini mask is striking. This is due to the Djimini's skill in glazing pottery using tree resins, techniques they replicated on the surface of their masks. The mask is worn during ritual ceremonies.