Female Pombibele

In the rites dedicated to the cult of the ancestors and in the funeral honors of the members of the Pore participate two types of statues, thePombibele, children of the Pore, who represent spirits and are borne by young initiates and who are represented as a couple, andDeblé.  

These sculpturespombibeleparticipate especially in funerals of the Pore members who have received the last degree of initiation orkafforo. They also participate in rites dedicated to the cult of ancestors. The statuesPombibeleand theDebléare very similar and very often subject to confusion. TheDébléThey carry a handle on the top of the head to allow their grip and be able to hit the ground thus marking the pace of the steps. Mango of which thePombibele.Very stylized figure that responds perfectly to the Senufus aesthetic canons.

This statue of woman besides appearing as "pombibele" is also a maternity. In the African statuary, all female figures with bulging belly and fallen breasts are considered maternity. This statue, in addition to its thinness, presents several particularities such as its truly straight shoulders, extremely fallen breasts and a chameleon on the head, a primordial animal for the senufo and one of the first five animals to appear on earth. It is for them a symbol of wisdom because it is capable of adpating itself to any circumstance.