Korikaariye

Unknown

19th century · Gourd, skin, wood · Musical Instruments

Used by Senufo Sando diviners to appeal to madebele spirit entities, this bridge-harp plays a central role in divinations and helps achieve a state of extrasensory transcendence. Through call and response, the music of the korikaariye seduces the spirits with its beauty and summons them to consult with the diviner. The female figure rising out of the calabash resonator forms the bridge of this instrument. She is thought to be a sculptural representation of a bush spirit, an idealized woman with an elaborate crested hair style. The hide strings, like the figural bridge through which they pass, are vertically aligned with the belly; a stringing technique, found along Africa's west coast from Senegal to Angola. African classifications and names of instruments vary from people to people: this instrument is known as sanku (upper Guinea), kasso (Gambia), simbing (Mali), and kora (Senegal). The carved female figure is similar to those found on Senufu rhythm pounders and staffs; it represents a primordial mother image.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Gourd, skin, wood

Culture

Senufo People

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

Gift of The Center for Musical Antiquities, 1983