Mùso Koroni theatre puppet

The theatrical puppet (English: marionette, French: marionnette) placed on a basket-cap covered with plant fibres is worn on the head. It is part of the Sogo bò theatrical tradition, performed in the Ségou region, in the south-central part of the Republic of Mali, prepared by Kamalen Ton, i.e. village youth associations. Watching the performances is one of the local people's favourite pastimes, so they can be seen during traditional festivals held in June and October, at numerous festivals and to celebrate events such as marriage, circumcision, promotion, and the end of Ramadan or Christmas.The doll represents Mùso Koroni - the mythical Little Woman, protector of traditional values and symbol of fidelity. According to the Baman mythology, she was the first woman created by the god Pemba, his wife, the twin sister of Faro, the deity of water. In the beginning, she acted wisely and according to the established rules. She assisted Pemba in the act of creation, endowed plants and animals with soul and shadow. When her husband Pemba decided to make all women his wives, she felt betrayed and flew into a rage. In her anger, she gave the people information hidden from them, creating chaos and degeneracy on earth. She also vented her frustration and anger on the people, and she mutilated their sexual organs, which gave rise to circumcision. She died alone and in despair. However, her death did people much good in the end because while fighting her hunger and defending herself from death, she invented agricultural techniques. She shared this knowledge with the people. Before she died, she also advised them to put signs on their faces, men three and women four notches, to make it easier to match couples. The appearance of her figure during Kamalen Ton performances evokes fundamental spiritual and cosmological beliefs and perpetuates the model of behaviour characteristic for the Bamans. The gift from Oleńka Darkowska-Nidzgorska and Denis Nidzgorski-Gordier.

Ewa Prądzyńska