Most of the cultural life related to puppetry is in Upper Guinea north-east , populated mostly by the Mandinka also known as Malinke, Mandinko, or Mandingo ; in Maritime Guinea Lower Guinea , the country of the Baga and the Nalu peoples; and in Forested Guinea extreme south-east , inhabited primarily by the Kpelle or Guerze , Toma, and Kissi.
This linguistic gap perhaps results in many examples of traditional puppetry remaining unknown, submerged in the broader category of mask. In general, a sacred puppet can perform more than one function; a profane puppet is used only in the role assigned at the time of its creation. In every family there is a kind of protective figure. The image is dressed or coated with the blood of animals it receives as sacrifice; it is then deposited in a corner of the hut belonging to the household head.
Only he is allowed to manipulate it, holding it in his hand while praying. Its movements are intended to match his recited incantations. Considered to be the abode of the ancestral spirits, this figure is solicited when misfortune strikes the family. It is used by its owner when a client has symptoms of possession by a malevolent spirit. With the help of three or four assistants, the specialist makes the patient sit on a stool.
The healer begins to dance to the rhythm of the music, spinning around the patient and chanting incantatory formulas. When the dance reaches a certain intense point, the puppet is transferred to the hand of the patient who, in turn, begins to dance.
The patient may even fall into a trance, a sign that the puppet has conjured the demon. In the case of a sick baby, only the healer dances. This figure is carried by the bereaved mother as if it were a real child: she feeds it and takes care of it until the birth of the next child. The figurine is then buried. If a woman has lost several children in infancy and continues to give birth, a figurine is sometimes carved for each newborn. Sometimes magical substances are added to protect the owner.
