Sandobele

The Sandobele are members of the

Senufo language

.

The Sandobele constitute only a small portion of the members of the Sandogo society. Membership in the Sandogo society is almost exclusively

initiates learn the process of divination

called tyeli (or tyele), but only a small number are able to perfect the complicated method and become practicing diviners. Diviners have great responsibility and are highly respected within the community because of their skills.

The Sando (singular of Sandobele)

spirit world

which helps maintain a sense of balance with the male leaders of the society.

Initiation

While the most common route to becoming a Sando is to be

initiated through the society, other diviners are said to be “pursued” by a specific spirit. The person will fall ill due to a severe indiscretion committed against the spirit, and must then agree to work with that spirit as a diviner to become well again. In most areas, this must happen for a male to be allowed to practice divination; he will not be initiated into the Sandogo society although he is taught the divination process.^[1]

Conflict

The underlying theme in

Ancestors, diviners and other mediators are able to communicate with these spirits who dwell in the bush called madebele (or tugubele). The madebele are the most accessible spirits because of their proximity and relationship with humans.^[2]

Madebele: the bush spirits

These spirits residing in

invisible and speak a language unintelligible to humans. Their invisibility makes them easy to agitate because women need to obtain water, men must hunt wild animals and farmers must clear fields to plant crops. Like humans the madebele enjoy music and dancing and other beautiful objects such as sculpture and ornament. These spirits once held a place similar to humans in the world but were displaced to the bush.^[3]

Origin myth

The

creator god intervening. In this way people are able to negotiate with the bush spirits to influence their behavior.^[4]

As messengers

The madebele constitute the most important

creatures play a crucial role in the habitual routines of villagers and also in divination practices.^[6]

Fo bracelet

The Sandobele are easily identified by the assortment of Fo

deities.^[7] Known as the “multicolored” one of “convertible elements” the python is the one who is able to answer the diviner's inquiries through the madebele.^[8]

The diviner therefore must try to please him by wearing a beautifully crafted rendition of him on her person and on display in her chamber.

Mythology

An ancient story relates that once Fo changed himself into an attractive young man and was almost successful in misleading a young woman into a false marriage; an older woman, an elder, rescued her and the honor of the

matrilineage was safeguarded. Through this tale, Fo is associated with sexual imagery, male and female relations, and the defensive function of the Sandogo.^[9]

Styles

The Fo

reproducible. They are relatively small as they are either solid, thin tubes made to fit the wrist, somewhat larger props used as signifiers of power, or smaller replicas used as divination

objects.

Tyeli divination process

When a member of the village becomes aware of a specific problem or event in her life she will decide to consult one of the diviners to determine the origin of her discord by Sando

sculptural figures, while a pile of various objects sits near her.^[11]

Calling the spirits

Now the client waits for the session to begin with a plea to the madebele.

“Answer to the invocation, you well-doers!

When someone comes to you, do all to help him.

The client has not come for me, but for you.

I do not know what lies heavy on his heart.

Say what problem oppresses him and show

What offering he must make to rid him of this.”^[13]

The whole divination chamber is designed to help call the bush spirits to the Sando; the invocation and music constitute the catalyst to call them forth. The spirits hear the music in the bush and feel compelled to come to the chamber to hear it as well as praise. The music makes them friendly and cooperative so the Sando can communicate with them as they possess the sculptures in front of her.^[14]

Establishing the problem

The diviner sets the objects for this process between her legs and gathers a haphazard group in the cup of her hands and sometimes one of the client's hands as well.

cowrie shell set inside it falls inside a python bracelet, it relates to pregnancy.^[16]

Once the general category of the problem is determined, the spirits can be further questioned.

The diviner must continue to try to narrow down the specific conflict that is distressing the client. While taking the client's right hand in hers she will inquire about the situation aloud to the bush spirits who have taken residence within the figures. The Sando moves her hands in response to the spirits’ replies to her questions. Her hand will make a short horizontal gesture similar to pushing something aside to indicate “no” or a searching movement to indicate uncertainty. When the answer is “yes”, she slaps her upper thigh with her hand or the client's hand once or several times depending on how definite the response. No single answer is ever definite; the resolution comes from continually asking questions and getting related responses. During this time the patron listens silently until the Sando is able to determine the reason for her visit, to ensure that the spirits are cooperating. If she is able to determine the client's conflict, she will continue to use this method to access more information pertaining to the problem and its cause. If she fails, the client may ask to end the consultation. Once the source of discord is discovered, the diviner asks the spirits to explain what the client must do to correct the situation. The spirits guide the Sando's hand to one or more of the objects in the divination set that designates the course the client should follow. Depending on the situation this process may be very complicated and involve a series of questions before a conclusion can be reached. The client will now need to heed the advice of the Sando to resolve her problem.^[14]

Yawige

One of the most common solutions to a client's difficulties involves having a specific type of

costumes.^[17] The woman would need to go to the person in her village or the neighboring village who works as a brasscaster and solicit him to create the object stipulated by the diviner, such as a vörögö anklet worn only by women who have a special relationship with water spirits. The brass worker will cast the object and the client will wear this along with any other objects created to appease the spirits and resolve the issue.^[18] These objects are accumulated by the client and contribute to remembering the personal conflicts as well as a means of protection and ornamentation

. Some of these objects are similar to those which the Sando keeps on her person or in her chamber.

Divination kit

Although the objects utilized in tyeli

basketry, brass, iron, or wood are part of this grouping. Objects in the third group consist of nonrepresentational symbols typically constructed in fiber, metal and wood. A short iron bar bent on one end is interpreted as signifier of death and makes up part of this category. The fourth classification contains many organic materials that have a specific connotation such as large, shiny red and purple seeds and marked shells. All of these objects are essential to the tyeli process and make up part of the diviner's basic kit.^[19]

Not all Sandobele use the same objects, but rather try to make their own kit unique to the spirits with whom they communicate. Diviners who are just beginning and those with few clients often only have the bare essentials, but successful diviners may acquire many objects as well as decorations for their chamber. As they gain clientele, Sandobele are able to designate permanent meanings to a fixed number of new objects they obtain. On occasion the Sandobele may tell their client that the madebele insists that the client purchase a specific, “shiny”

aesthetic objects in conjunction with the actual set, the diviners try to thwart the clients in any attempt to understand the tyeli method. The meaning of the objects comes from the position in which they fall and how this correlates with the other objects around them. Only the Sandobele are skilled in the art of reading the meaning of the connections between the objects.^[16] Currently diviners incorporate things such as ball point pens, bolts, nail polish and medicine flasks into their divination kits as objects of importance and visual worth.^[11] The divination sets are constantly reconfigured due to the plastic nature of the craft of tyele divination

.

Madebele: sculptures

The pair of carved wooden

aesthetic qualities enhance the spiritual function of the sculptures.^[23] As with many of the other divination objects the pleasing visual appearance of the figures

enables them to gratify and help call forth the spirits.

References

^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 145
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. pp. 147–148
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 148
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 149
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 62
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. pp. 148–150
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. pp. 76–78
^ ^a ^b Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 150
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 78
^ Glaze, Anita J. “Senufo Ornamentation and Decorative Arts.” African Arts 12, no. 3 (November 1978) p. 66
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 152
^ ^a ^b ^c Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 64
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 146
^ ^a ^b Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 154
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 154 and Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 64
^ ^a ^b Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 64, 66
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 63
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 155
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. pp. 64–66
^ Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. p. 66
^ ^a ^b Glaze, Anita J. Art and Death in a Senufo Village. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981. pp. 67, 69
^ LaGamma, Alisa, and John Pemberton III. Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. p. 25
^ Veirman, Anja. “Art and Conflict Management: Bush Spirits as Mediators and Source of Inspiration in the Art of the Senufo.” The Object as Mediator: On the Transcendental Meaning of Art in Traditional Cultures, edited by Mireille Holsbeke, Antwerp: Ethnographic Museum, 1996. p. 156