Boli Nyama Sculptural Power Object
African zoomorphic sculpture of a Boli, made by the Bambara people of Mali. These pieces are created with a wooden form wrapped in cloth layered in clay crust with sacrificial materials like bird feathers and animal blood added throughout. Approximately from the 1950s, distinguishable from its hardness & surface cracks. One leg is slightly shorter than the rest which can result in a lean depending on how it’s placed. This very special piece is best displayed on a pedestal or on a shelf for viewing. See photos for details.
“The primary function of a boli is to accumulate and control the naturally occurring life force called nyama for the spiritual benefit of the community. The composition of the encrusted patina varies, but all the ingredients possess this inherent and important spiritual energy. The encrustation may include the blood of chickens or goats, chewed and expectorated kola nuts, alcoholic beverages, honey, metal, animal bones, vegetable matter, and sometimes millet. Sometimes this added matter is so extensive that it obscures the original wooden form and takes on a shape all its own. As the encrustation cracks and hardens throughout the years, it gives the impression that these ingredients are tightly packed within the boli. As the sacrificial materials accumulate over time, each added layer affords the structure greater spiritual power.” - The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979, Met Museum, metmuseum.org
Measures 23.5”W x 11”D x 16”H
In store pick-up or customer-arranged shipping only.
African zoomorphic sculpture of a Boli, made by the Bambara people of Mali. These pieces are created with a wooden form wrapped in cloth layered in clay crust with sacrificial materials like bird feathers and animal blood added throughout. Approximately from the 1950s, distinguishable from its hardness & surface cracks. One leg is slightly shorter than the rest which can result in a lean depending on how it’s placed. This very special piece is best displayed on a pedestal or on a shelf for viewing. See photos for details.
“The primary function of a boli is to accumulate and control the naturally occurring life force called nyama for the spiritual benefit of the community. The composition of the encrusted patina varies, but all the ingredients possess this inherent and important spiritual energy. The encrustation may include the blood of chickens or goats, chewed and expectorated kola nuts, alcoholic beverages, honey, metal, animal bones, vegetable matter, and sometimes millet. Sometimes this added matter is so extensive that it obscures the original wooden form and takes on a shape all its own. As the encrustation cracks and hardens throughout the years, it gives the impression that these ingredients are tightly packed within the boli. As the sacrificial materials accumulate over time, each added layer affords the structure greater spiritual power.” - The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979, Met Museum, metmuseum.org
Measures 23.5”W x 11”D x 16”H
In store pick-up or customer-arranged shipping only.
African zoomorphic sculpture of a Boli, made by the Bambara people of Mali. These pieces are created with a wooden form wrapped in cloth layered in clay crust with sacrificial materials like bird feathers and animal blood added throughout. Approximately from the 1950s, distinguishable from its hardness & surface cracks. One leg is slightly shorter than the rest which can result in a lean depending on how it’s placed. This very special piece is best displayed on a pedestal or on a shelf for viewing. See photos for details.
“The primary function of a boli is to accumulate and control the naturally occurring life force called nyama for the spiritual benefit of the community. The composition of the encrusted patina varies, but all the ingredients possess this inherent and important spiritual energy. The encrustation may include the blood of chickens or goats, chewed and expectorated kola nuts, alcoholic beverages, honey, metal, animal bones, vegetable matter, and sometimes millet. Sometimes this added matter is so extensive that it obscures the original wooden form and takes on a shape all its own. As the encrustation cracks and hardens throughout the years, it gives the impression that these ingredients are tightly packed within the boli. As the sacrificial materials accumulate over time, each added layer affords the structure greater spiritual power.” - The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979, Met Museum, metmuseum.org
Measures 23.5”W x 11”D x 16”H
In store pick-up or customer-arranged shipping only.