{"product_id":"bambara-wood-bird-puppet-head-mali","title":"Bambara Wood Bird Puppet Head Mali","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"44\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"44\"\u003eBambara (Bamana) Bird Puppet Head from Mali\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"46\" data-end=\"393\"\u003eA striking carved bird head from a traditional puppet, attributed to the \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eBamana\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e people of \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eMali\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. Such puppet elements were used in performance traditions that blend storytelling, education, and references to initiation societies, often appearing in festivals and community gatherings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"696\"\u003eThe elongated beak and stylized form suggest a symbolic bird figure—animals in Bamana puppet theatre frequently embody moral lessons, social roles, or spiritual associations. This head would originally have been attached to a larger puppet body, animated by performers during theatrical presentations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"698\" data-end=\"710\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eBird figures in Bamana performance traditions can represent insight, communication, or intermediaries between worlds. As a fragment, this piece offers a compelling glimpse into the larger sculptural and performative context of West African puppet theatre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1352\" data-end=\"1457\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eAn evocative and sculptural artifact, ideal for collectors of African performance art and ritual objects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight (In) 16.5\u003cbr\u003eWidth (In) 5.5\u003cbr\u003eDepth (In) 3.0\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e154756\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"sku 154000","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367395295527,"sku":"154756","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0826\/1015\/9911\/files\/IMG_6249_92c598e9-fa0d-470b-99e0-4074d074fa99.jpg?v=1777926184","url":"https:\/\/africadirect.com\/products\/bambara-wood-bird-puppet-head-mali","provider":"Africa Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}