Senufo Bird Figure for the Poro Association, Côte d'Ivoire

This carved wooden bird figure from Côte d'Ivoire served a ceremonial function within the Poro Association, a powerful secret society among the Senufo people that oversaw male initiation and community governance. The sculpture exemplifies the Senufo aesthetic with its abstracted, geometric form and polished surface, which would have been worn or displayed during ritual performances and initiations. Such bird figures symbolized spiritual forces and the connection between the earthly and divine realms, playing an integral role in the association's sacred practices and social authority.