Ivory Coast
Baule

Wood and Paint
ca. Mid-20th century

Height: 11 inches
Idiophone – Struck Directly – Gong Beater

This sculptured wooden beater comes from the Baule people of the Ivory Coast. Forged iron gongs would be beaten with the sculptured hammer by religious priests or shaman, men or women locally known as “komien”, the title given to diviners among the Baule. “Komien” would use a gong to accompany their songs as they made contact with the spirits of the bush during ceremonial performance and to bring them into a state of possession by the spirits. Carved beaters known as “lawle” are often embellished by Baule symbols and in this case a mask worn by “bo nun amuin.” Masqueraders surmounts the beater end and a coil pattern attributed to a chameleon is carved in relief on the handle. The chameleon (coil pattern) on the handle is particularly important as the diviner holds onto it when beating the gong to go into possession by the spirits. The chameleon is an animal that has great meaning for the Baule as it changes color transforming itself as does the “komien” (diviner) does when possessed, literally becoming another being. This carved wooden beater (along with the forged iron gong – item #AF-IDST-76-12, that originally accompanied this “lawle”) reflects the interrelationship between the arts, the sculptor and blacksmith creating the ritual object and the diviner who must dance and perform correctly while using the mallet and gong. This well used mallet reflects not only skill but equally a highly developed aesthetic sense of form and design.