Yaraba koné
Fono sculptor, c. 1920–2001, photo: 1978
Nafoun, Côte d‘Ivoire
Yaraba Koné was born in Odia where his father was a Fono blacksmith. Around the age of twenty-five he left Odia and went to Nafoun for treatment of leprosy. It was here that he was taught to carve by Fonourougo Koné. Due to his illness Yaraba Koné was not able to work in the forge or in the fields and therefore worked as a carver. Carving for him was tedious, because of the fact that the disease affected his hands. His works showed similarity to that of Fonourougo Koné and Tchima Koné from Nafoun. Yaraba Koné carved figures and masks for the Senufo and also for the tourist market in Korhogo.
Karl-Heinz Krieg first met Yaraba Koné in 1965. He commissioned some masks and figures from him and documented his carving style.
Yaraba Koné carving a figure at his workplace using his traditional carving tools. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Nafoun (Region of Boundiali), 1974
Yaraba Koné carving a female figure. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Nafoun (Region of Boundiali, Côte d'Ivoire), 1977
Carving tools of Yaraba Koné. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Nafoun (Region of Boundiali), 1974
OBJECTS BY Yaraba Koné
Seated female figures carved by Yaraba Koné for tourists. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Nafoun (Region of Boundiali), 1974
Pair of figures carved by Yaraba Koné. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Yahama (Region of Boundiali, Côte d'Ivoire), 1976
Jaladjo masker shows a figure carved by Yaraba Koné. Photo: Karl-Heinz Krieg, Fononlara (Region of Boundiali, Côte d'Ivoire), 1980
Musée d’ethnographie de Genève, female figures, ETHAF 042779 and ETHAF 042778
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Private notes taken in the field, Karl-Heinz Krieg
Text: Helen Krieg and Daniel Mato, PhD