Bamana Koré “Suruku” Hyena Mask, Mali, Early to Mid-20th Century

On offer is a striking Kore Suruku (Hyena) mask from the Bamana (Bambara) people of Mali, West Africa, dating from the early to mid-20th Century.

The Suruku (the hyena) is one of the most complex and symbolically charged figures in Bamana ritual thought. Its minimalist geometry and elongated proportions embody both animal and spirit, revealing the Bamana sculptor’s mastery of abstraction and symbolism.

Within Bamana culture, the Koré society is the highest level of male initiation, guiding men toward moral and spiritual maturity. Masks such as this one were integral to Kore performances, where each animal character embodies a lesson about human behaviour. The hyena serves as a trickster figure — clever, gluttonous, and deceitful — whose exaggerated traits are used to instruct initiates on restraint, discipline, and wisdom. During masquerades, the Suruku mask would have appeared in theatrical, often humorous performances that balance mockery and moral teaching.

This example showcases the defining elements of the Kore Suruku type: a long, geometric snout; two long, tapering ears that rise vertically from the head; and small, square eye apertures set deep under a prominent brow. The dark, oily patina is consistent with age and handling, showing areas of natural wear and smoothing. Two dark tar or resin-filled repairs, approximately two-thirds up the front of each ear, suggest careful ritual maintenance. Additional details include several old nails in the forehead, likely once securing attachments or amulets, and a hole at the tip of the snout, possibly for affixing animal hair or other ornamentation during use. Of note, there’s a prominent split at the top back of the mask, between the ears (see photos).

Estimated date: Early to mid-20th century (circa 1920–1950).
Material: Wood, iron nails, resin/tar.
Origin: Bamana (Bambara) people, Mali.

This mask stands as a powerful example of Bamana abstraction; both a beautiful sculptural object and a vessel of cultural meaning, reflecting the moral and spiritual dimensions of Bamana initiation philosophy.

Measurements: H44 x W15cm x D12