Who Are the Senufo?
The Senufo are an ethnic group of the West African savanna, inhabiting parts of CĂ´te d'Ivoire, Mali, and Burkina Faso, numbering approximately 2.5-3 million. They speak Senufo languages, a cluster of related languages in the Atlantic-Congo family. The Senufo occupy a broad band of savanna woodland stretching across the three countries. They are agriculturalists, growing millet, rice, yams, and cotton. The Senufo are internationally renowned for their sculptural traditions, producing masks and figures that rank among the most celebrated African art forms. Their Poro society structures social and religious life, with elaborate initiation cycles spanning decades.
Artistic Traditions
Senufo art holds a prominent place in world art history. Their sculptures—masks, figures, and ritual objects—exemplify African artistic achievement. The kpelie face masks, worn in Poro society ceremonies, feature idealized female faces with delicate features. The "firespitter" masks (kponungo) represent supernatural beings. Large rhythm-pounder sculptures (deble) accompany funerals. Carved doors, staffs, and heddle pulleys display sophisticated craftsmanship. Professional caste sculptors (kule) traditionally produced these works for ritual contexts. European collectors discovered Senufo art in the early 20th century; today, Senufo pieces appear in major museums worldwide and command high prices in the art market.
Poro Society
The Poro society governs Senufo male life through an extended initiation process lasting 21 years, divided into three seven-year phases. Boys enter the first phase around age seven, progressing through increasingly advanced levels of esoteric knowledge. The sacred grove (sinzanga) serves as the ritual center where initiates learn traditions, skills, and responsibilities. Poro regulates agricultural cycles, adjudicates disputes, and maintains social order. Women have parallel Sandogo societies focused on divination and healing. Though modified by Islam and Christianity, Poro remains central to Senufo identity in many communities. The society creates social cohesion across village and linguistic boundaries.
Contemporary Senufo
Modern Senufo navigate between traditional practices and changing circumstances. Cotton cultivation has become commercially important, linking Senufo farmers to global markets. Urban migration brings many Senufo to Abidjan, Bamako, and other cities. Islam has made significant inroads, particularly in Mali, though Poro practices often continue alongside it. The art market has created both opportunities and concerns about cultural commodification. Côte d'Ivoire's civil conflicts (2002-2011) affected some Senufo areas. Cross-border ethnic ties persist despite national boundaries. How the Senufo maintain cultural traditions—particularly the Poro system and artistic heritage—while modernizing shapes this artistically significant people's future.
References
- Glaze, A. (1981). Art and Death in a Senufo Village
- Förster, T. (1988). Die Kunst der Senufo
- Goldwater, R. (1964). Senufo Sculpture from West Africa