Cote D’Ivoire
Baule

Metal-Iron 
Early 20th century
Height: 10 inches
Idiophone – Struck Directly  – Metal Gong

A forged bell-shaped iron gong used by the Baule People of the Ivory Coast. This gong would be beaten with a sculptured hammer (lawle) by a Baule diviner, a religious priests or shaman, man or woman, locally known as komien.  The komien would use a gong to accompany their songs as they made contact with the spirits of the bush (nature) during ceremonial performance and to bring them into a state of possession by the spirits. (See AF-IDST-109-14 – the lawle – D.  that accompanied this gong.)