Back to Gallery

Gong, Metal

Baule Diviner's Gong

Ivory Coast
Baule

Iron
ca. Mid-20th century


Idiophone - Struck Directly - Metal Gong

A forged iron gong used by the Baule People of the Ivory Coast. This gong would be beaten with a sculptured hammer ("Lawle) by religious priests or shaman, men or women locally known as "komien", the title given to diviners among the Baule. "Komien" would use a gong to accompany their songs as they made contact with the spirits of the bush during ceremonial performance and to bring them into a state of possession by the spirits. (See AF-IDST-109-12 - the Lawle that accompanied this gong.)

 

Owner:
Catalog#: AF-IDST-76-12