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JONYELENI FIGURE Jonyeleni figures represent nubile young woman and are often decorated with jewelry and clothing. They are used in the initiation rituals of the Jo society of the Bambara peoples, one of the few secret societies to include women among their initiates. The jonyeleni, whose name means "little ornaments," are said to add visual interest to the the songs and ceremonies of the Jo society, hence their name. Figures such as these also are used in other rituals to embody the spirit of the ancestor of a clan, or gwa, and act as mediators between the earthly world and that of the spirit. They are the object of offerings and are believed to impart wisdom to the eldest male member of the gwa. BACK / RETURN TO THUMBNAILS / NEXT
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