Overview

The Bamana people are known for their rich artistic traditions, including the creation of masks, statues, door locks, headdresses, and ritual and utilitarian objects: Their door locks are among the most remarkable of all African art. Sculpted of wood in a rich variety of forms, they depict mythological and historical figures, social events, and representational figures--crocodiles, lizards, tortoises, owls, bats, butterflies, humans. Known as konbarabara , these exquisite locks were once presented to young women at the time of their marriage and affixed to the doors of their new homes. The beauty of the carvings and the ingenuity of the locking systems present a fascinating study of this unusual art form. This unique publication presents a comprehensive survey of Bamana lock forms: Fifty-three Bamana locks and four Bamana doors with locks are displayed along with ten Dogon and two Bwa locks (both ethnic groups live in Mali).

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9780841914148

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Reviews

...well researched and lucidly written. ...a welcome addition to Bamana studies and more broadly to African art studies... -- Mary Jo Arnoldi, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

Author Information

Pascal James Imperato now serves as Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at SUNY Health Science Centre in New York City. Dr. Imperato first travelled to Mali to direct mass immunisation programs for the U.S. Public Health Service. While there, he became fascinated with the beauty of the Banama door locks. After years of research, he is now recognised as an international authority on the art of the Bamana and Dogon peoples of Mali.

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