Mampiring

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Kuranko name for a wooden mask that has a similar role to ka-Bemba (q.v.) among the Temne. The masker leads boys from the village into the bush for their initiation, acts as an intermediary between the initiation camp and the village, and leads them back to the village at the completion of the initiation. It is generally oval in shape with eyes and mouth holes pierced through the plane of the mask and--a common feature of mampiring masks--a small crest of feathers protruding from the top.