Naamio - Suruku - Bambara - Mali (Ei pohjahintaa)

The Bambara (also known as Bamana) are a people living mainly in Mali, but also in Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Senegal, numbering about five million. The Bambara are known for establishing the Mali Empire in the 13th century.

The suruku mask (suruku means hyena in the Bambara language) is used in the Koré, one of the seven secret societies of the Bambara. The mask features the typical hyena ears, a large forehead, square eyes, and a tapering mouth at the bottom. The top and face of the mask are decorated with vertical carved stripes. The brown mask's sides are adorned with carved white stripes running from the ears to the chin, with zigzag patterns within. The knob between the ears on the top represents the hyena's crest. Minor restoration.