Zanga Konaté, +1940

Zanga Konaté's masks can be described as very elegant. Remarkable is how extremely thin Zanga carved this light mask. He knew his craft and skill. The sitting Tugubele on top of the mask is classy. Attentive and quiet is her unique expression.

Konaté's style is not flamboyand or spectacular. Other known masks he made are also dainty and graceful. In Senari this mask is pictured as gnôn, the word for elegance and an elegant attitude.

This Kpelié mask was collected by Karl-Heinz Krieg 1990 in Sonovelle, next to Blessegué, and the origin is dated around 1920.

Zanga Konaté came from Blessegué and died 1940 in Zanguinasso. He was a Niene, a sub-group of the Senufo. Not uncommonly a Koulé moved places, because of family issues, shortage of raw materials or because of better order situations in other regions.

Zanga tought carving to his son, Tchètin Bêh Konaté also a Niene, who was born 1920 in Zanguinasso. Tchètin lost his father in the age of 20 years, so he moved to Ouézomon were he learned from Sabariko Koné, who died 1949. Zanga and Sabariko were in familial relation. Other to Tchètin, Zanga´s style was not influenced by Sabariko.