‘Madam Yoko and the Sande Dancers’

Madam Yoko (c.1849-1906) was a famous Mende paramount chief who was a powerful figure within the female Sande society. This lantern was built for Kissy Central Lantern Club and comprises puppets depicting Madam Yoko, various musicians, Sande sampa dancers and a black Sande debul known as sowei. Only a female drummer and a sampa dancer are visible in this photograph.

In Sierra Leone there are various cult associations (‘societies’) which have spirits associated with them. The masqueraders who embody and perform these spirits in the masquerades of these associations are called debuls (devils). There is no implication that the spirits are evil. Debuls were depicted in puppet form in lanterns purely for entertainment purposes and not as part of any society masquerade.