Description

The Senufo Debele figurative statue, sometimes called the "child of the Poro" or "spirit of the bush," appears in pairs during funeral processions or ceremonies marking the end of initiation rites. Initiates of the Poro society, which trained boys from the age of seven, carried them and rhythmically pounded the ground to the beat of drums, leading and bringing up the rear of the procession. Kept in an enclosure called a "sézing," they were believed to protect these young initiates. This statue has a slender form with a pronounced curve and an oblong face. Its thin legs are set into a base forming a pestle called a "sedine" or "dol." It is made of rot-resistant wood.