# Head of a Hobbyhorse (korèdugaso)

- Date: late 1800s–early 1900s
- Medium: Wood and iron
- Classification: Sculpture
- Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 13.8 x 40.8 cm (5 1/2 x 5 7/16 x 16 1/16 in.)
- Culture: Africa, West Africa, Mali, Bamana blacksmith
- Credit line: James Albert Ford Memorial Fund
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1935.307)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1935.307/1935.307_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Pertaining to the male initiation society called Korè, this sculpture from the Koulikoro region represents the head of an aardvark and is part of a wooden hobbyhorse that is mounted by a ritual buffoon. The Korè initiates are divided into different classes, each having a designated mask. The ritual buffoons appear in pantomimes on different public occasions and poke fun at village authorities and other high-ranking individuals.