Ivorian Senufo Bird

Ivorian Senufo Bird The Hornbill ‘Calao’ bird to the initiates of the Poro society is known as the ‘porpianong’ or "child of the Poro '' and were kept in a sacred grove where rites took place. According to their creation myth, it was one of the first animals on earth, together with the snake, chameleon, tortoise & crocodile. The hornbill was the first animal to be killed for food. Hornbills mate for life.  The long beak symbolizes the sexual organ and the bulbous belly, a pregnant woman. Being a creature of both heaven and earth, the bird is a link to their ancestors.The Senufo believed that the hornbill bird (Kalao) was one of the first living things to symbolize intellectual power and significant knowledge. Date/Period: 19th Century Origin: Ivory Coast Dimensions: 38 in X 16in