N'domo

The term N'domo refers to a mask that is used for one of the initiation rites of the Bamana people of Mali. It is believed that the Bamana were at one time matrilineal; however, since the emergence of Islam in Mali, they have been a patrilineal society like that of the Dogon and Mandinka communities in the same region of West Africa. Most Bamana villages are no more than 1,000 people. The relationship between father and son is a core axis of value in the Bamana household; therefore, the process of initiation, despite Islam, remains one of the central facts of Bamana life. This bond between father and son influences the clan name given to the son, the wealth of the family, the child's education, the identity of the child within the larger Bamana society, and the inheritance of status in the family. This entry describes Bamana culture, the role of blacksmiths in the creation of the N'domo masks, and the function of the N'domo initiation rites in the society as a whole.

N'domo is important because it represents one of the stages through which the child must pass to become a full member of the community. The leader of this community comes from one of the clans that make up the village. All members of the society trace their lineage back to the first male ancestor. Given that the society is organized along age lines, all initiation rites, including the N'domo rites, are important to maintain order and civic duty. Every person between 6 and 30 must be accorded a role and status in the society. Knowing one's role and one's status helps to maintain the discipline necessary in the village. The giva, or family group, is the unit that grows rice, sorghum, peanuts, melons, and millet. Each giva has responsibilities for the fields and their goats, sheep, cattle, and fowl. A young boy grows up learning that he must participate in the society at some level during his youth and, furthermore, that the initiation ceremonies will be part of his membership in the society. Becoming an initiate of N'domo carries with it the burden of learning how to master the various aspects of the society. Because the youth have been initiated into the knowledge that is essential to maintain the community, the village is able to sustain itself.

The Bamana have several castes, the most important of which are the farmers and the artisans. The nyamakalaw, or blacksmiths, form the largest caste. They play an essential role in agriculture because they make the farm tools and instruments. They are said to be descended from the Mali Empire technologists. The blacksmiths, called numuw, are special sculptors called on during the N'domo rites; they gain their power from Nyama, the energy that animates the universe, and they are considered the “handlers” of this power. They are therefore important in the initiation process. People in this caste are often feared because they make the masks that others use for ritual occasions. Indeed, it is believed that they have magical powers. Women of the nyamakalaw clan are usually potters, whereas boys learn to sculpt, carve, and invent objects for use by the village. A boy might work with his father for as many as 10 years, operating the bellows, then carving wood, and then finally using the forge.

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