Senufo bird
Type of hat used in Poro ceremonies
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In the initiation ceremonies of the Poro of Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, a Senufo bird is a hat worn by men or carried in a procession, especially during an initiation ceremony.[1][2] Between uses it is kept the Poro’s secret tree grove.[2] The base is hollowed out underneath so that it may fit like a cap on the head.[2] However, many of the birds stand on cylindrical bases that seem to be designed to rest upon the ground.[3]
The Senufo "is said to symbolize fertility, increase and the continuity of the community."[1]
According to Senufo belief, the hornbill was one of the first living creatures.[citation needed]
The long phallic beak touching its swollen belly suggesting pregnancy, represents the dual forces of the male and female parts.[2]
