Boli Figure

Boli sculptures are sacred objects of the Bamana culture that can take many organic forms, including this example of a human figure. They are not carved, but rather assembled and molded from materials such as clay, wood, bark, millet, and honey. The sculptures are often enlarged and reworked with the residue from sacrifices and rituals. Boli are used as altars by the Komo Society, a men’s association of priests, elders, and blacksmiths that forms the primary Bamana social group. Sequestered in shrines or in the dwellings of priests, the boli’s amorphous form keeps its sacred secrets hidden from the uninitiated. These dark, textured sculptures are disquieting and powerful objects, even when far removed from their original home.