Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali.

Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali edited by Jean-Paul Colleyn New York: Museum for African Art, 2001. 263 pp., 53 b/w photos, 230 color photos, 4 maps, glossary. $75.00 cloth, $45.00 paper.

Written as a catalogue to accompany an exhibition, Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali is in fact a major scholarly contribution to the field of African art. Nine American, African, and European scholars representing a variety of disciplines contributed essays to this book. As one would expect in any edited publication, the essays vary in overall effectiveness and specific engagement with the central themes of the book. However, because of its approach, Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali provides valuable insight into a wide range of concerns about Bamana visual culture that would not have been possible had the authors used more established paradigms. The catalogue emphasizes that for any cultural item, there is no set homogeneous form, but rather shifting patterns reflecting migrations, borrowings, and adaptations as well as various types of internal change. The catalogue adopts a fluid and pragmatic view of culture, including visual material. The interrelationship of numerous cultures is presented to elucidate connections and influences that have occurred within and adjacent to the Bamana area over a long period of time. This publication reflects a current trend in exhibition scholarship, since a number of recent exhibition catalogues, such as Ways of the Rivers: Arts and Environment of the Niger Delta (2002) have, in fact, attempted to move beyond the confines of ethnic group boundaries by looking at broader areas of influence and cultural development. In addition, recognizing the danger of employing hermetically sealed boundaries when analyzing the arts of Africa is not new but has been stressed for over fifty years by such scholars as Roy Sieber, Arnold Rubin, Rene Bravmann, and others.

The catalogue begins with a brief preface and an essay by Jean-Paul Colleyn about the nature and impact of the black-and-white photographs of Catherine De Clippel--which are to be found in both the catalogue and the exhibition. The two major divisions of the publication are "The Context" and "Bamana Institutions." It is in these two sections that the major contributions of the publication are to be found.

In the first of these two sections, an essay by Jean-Paul Colleyn focusing on the definition of "Bamana and Bamanya" investigates the issue of shifting identities in the Mande area. The author appropriately declares that, contrary to pre-1980s scholarship, Bamana culture is not homogeneous or harmonious. In "Pilgrim Fajigi and Basiw from Mecca: Islam and Traditional Religion in the Former French Sudan," David Conrad analyzes the centuries-old accommodation of Islam with the indigenous system of Mande belief. The nature of basiw--a vehicle of power--the significance of boliw (power objects) in the Bamana religious and political systems, and their legendary connection to Mecca are points of discussion. The next essay, by Rene Bravmann, continues with the dialogue by demonstrating the important presence of Islam in nineteenth century Segou, often referred to in the literature as a "citadel of paganism." To illuminate the historical context, Bravmann concludes his essay by examining a string puppet made in the early twentieth century. The final essay in this section, by Barbara Frank, consists of a general introduction to the broad range of Bamana visual forms and their creators. Gender roles, change, techniques, and ethnicity are additional concerns of this essay.

The next--and most complex--catalogue division is "Bamana Institutions." It is subdivided into "The Sogow" and "The Jow" (which has two additional subsections: "The Initiation as Rite of Passage" and "The Power Associations"). The essay by Mary Jo Arnoldi introduces Sogo bo, an animal puppet masquerade under the auspices of the komalen ton--a village youth association. The Sogo bo performance is presented as an example of how innovation and strategies for maintaining good community relations have been used by some Bamana communities. Although many particulars of Bamana initiation societies, or jow, are still little known, rites of passage and the control of power are acknowledged aspects of these associations or brotherhoods. In his essay on Ntomo and Kore, Jean-Paul Colleyn briefly considers the distribution of Ntomo and its connection to other initiation societies. The performance format and mask types of Kore, on the other hand, are more fully discussed. In the "Art of the Jo Society," Kate Ezra carefully provides a context for the sculpture of both Jo and Gwan; of particular importance is her consideration of the masks and heads used by Jo. A more detailed analysis of the structure and concepts of Jo and Gwan can be found in the next essay, by Salia Male.

The power associations ("institutions that wield power by concentrating it into material objects and launching it, under control, into the world") are introduced by Patrick McNaughton in two well-formulated essays. In the first, McNaughton reveals the essential nature of these institutions within the broader context of powerful energy (nyama) that is responsible for all existence and action. The importance of the blacksmith, the distinctiveness of boliw, and the complex network of jow are amply explained. The structure and extensive dissemination of Komo and its use of power objects--including the visually striking helmet headdresses--are the issues in McNaughton's second essay. The spread of Komo or related associations throughout "the entire western half of West Africa" is a superb example of the need for a more fluid geographic focus in the study of African art. As McNaughton states, "This thumbnail history makes it clear that Komo, like so many other social phenomena, complicates the issue of ethnicity."

The final two essays in the section on power associations are written by Jean-Paul Colleyn. In his essay on the Kono, Colleyn attempts to define Kono, a difficult task given its secrecy; he also presents the history, structure, functions, and mask types that characterize the association. His consideration of the diffusion of Kono and the connection to political alliances provides a fascinating analysis, especially appropriate for this catalogue. The major emphasis in his essay on the Ci-wara is on the masks and their activities, particularly agricultural competitions, entertainment events, and anniversary celebrations. At different points in the essay, Colleyn links Ci-wara to the use of boliw and other sacred objects, thereby making a connection to power. However a stronger argument on why Ci-wara is a power association would have been useful for the general reader. The final essay in the catalogue, on "Dialectics of Aesthetic Form in Bamana Art" by James Brink, is an attempt to reflect on the attitudes and aesthetic responses of the Bamana themselves and to place the objects in the exhibit (and catalogue) within the more inclusive context of performance--how they are actually perceived and experienced. Brink makes extensive use of native terminology to explain the essence of Mande aesthetics. His discussion does connect the art forms and their function to a very specific yet complex system of thought.

Although Bamana: The Art of Existence in Mali functioned as an exhibition catalogue, the publication was not written specifically for the general reader, since a number of references and terms in many of the essays require some knowledge of Mande tradition. However, the more than 300 illustrations are visually spectacular and informative, especially the contextual photos that connect to illustrated objects. These can provide both enjoyment and knowledge to anyone viewing the book. The range of images reflecting variations in style and object type is useful to both scholar and nonscholar. I strongly recommend the catalogue for its significant addition to Mande scholarship by providing new insights into the complexity of Bamana visual culture while at the same time helping to clarify current inconsistencies in the literature.