The Marka, also known as the Warka, belong to
the Soninke people whose original settlements in
Ghana date back as far as 750 A.D. However,
conflicts with the Berbers forced the Soninke to
disperse throughout neighboring regions. The
Marka people now occupy the part of Mali north
of the Bambara territory westward to the
Senegalese border. Both the Bambara and Bozo
tribes heavily influenced their social organization
and cult practices. The Marka are famous for
their masks and puppets. Similar to Bambara's
Ntomo society masks, Marka masks are generally
carved with horns, comb or crest on top of the
head, but unlike Bambara masks they are often
covered with metal sheeting. Marka ceremonial
masks are further characterized by their
elongated faces, pointed chins, and long angular
noses. The Marka dress their masks in brightly
colored costumes made of cloth that both enliven
the work of art as well as disguise the identity of
the dancer. This mask features two truncated
horns on either side of the mask. These horns
may relate to the antelope, a creature that was
worshipped as an agricultural deity. A small
crest crowns the central peak of the mask. This
odd protrusion seemingly functions as a square-
shaped hook and is embellished with two
downward curving horns that recall the
silhouette of a ram or water buffalo. Typical of
the Marka style, this mask is covered in thin
layers of metal that enliven the mask with
texture and color. Although the characteristics
of this mask suggest that it was carved by the
Marka, it is quite possible that this mask was
created along a border region separating the
Marka from the Bambara. Clearly, this mask
reveals the close stylistic similarities that unite
these two unique tribes in a common artistic
heritage.
- (PF.6123)
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