Baga, Nalu
Headdress (Banda or Kumbaduba)
Baga or Nalu, 1900-1932
Scroll
Baga, Nalu
Headdress (Banda or Kumbaduba)
Baga or Nalu, 1900-1932
Physical Qualities
Wood, pigment, iron, 63 x 18 1/8 x 12 in. (160 x 46 x 30.5 cm.)
Credit Line
Partial gift of Valerie Franklin, Los Angeles, and purchase with exchange funds provided by twenty-seven donors
Object Number
1990.2
The Banda mask is a symbol for the universe of the Baga people. It includes a crocodile’s jaw, a chameleon’s tail curving at the back between two antelope horns, and a woman’s braid leading to the steps of a Roman Catholic church. By combining elements
of animals, humans, and architecture visible in and around the village, the artist who sculpted this heavy mask created an assemblage of ideas that reflected his world. The young man who wore the Banda mask would have tirelessly jumped and crouched as he danced, finally twirling the mask above his head in a showstopping finale. Other Baga masks, such as the D’mba in the center of this gallery, represent individual personalities within the broader realm encompassed by this Banda mask.
Publication References
William Bascom, 'African Art in Cultural Perspective,' NY: Norton, 1973, pl. 22.
TOPIC, Issue No. 190. Illus. D, pp. unknown. Published by the United States Information Agency for distribution in Africa.
The James S. Coleman African Studies Center, 'African Arts UCLA,' January 1991, Vol XXIV-Number 1, New Acquisitions, p. 82, illus. p. 82.
Frederick Lamp, 'La Guinea-Et Ses Heritages Culturels,' Conakry, Republique de Guinee: Service d'Information et de Relations Culturelles, Ambassade des Etats-Unis d'Amerique, Avril 1991, p.56, Fig.92.
Lamp, Frederick. African: Baga Banda. In the Spotlight. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Museum of Art, 1993, cover.
William Bascom, "African Art in Cultural Perspective"
Frederick John Lamp, "See the Music Hear the Dance: Rethinking African Art at the Baltimore Museum of Art." New York: Prestel, 2003,p.75, ill.
Frederick Lamp, "Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention." New York: Prestel, 2006. p. 190, fig. 182.
Frederick Lamp, "Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention." African Arts, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn 1996): pp. 20-33, illus, p. 26.
Curtis, Marie Yvonne. Baga. "Visions of Africa." Milan: 5 Continents Editions, 2018.
Ex coll Harry Franklin, Los Angeles
Art of the Baga: A Drama of Cultural Reinvention
African Reinstallation
African Wing Rotations 2025