38 - Female figure by Jonyeleni Bamana, Mali, wood, H. 63 cm x W. 13 cm. Used in the context of the jo, the Jonyeleni figures embody the ideal young woman—broad shoulders, firm and full breasts, a rounded buttocks, and narrow hips—whom Jo initiates may seek to marry upon completing their initiation. Salia described how “new initiates travel for several months through neighboring villages carrying these sculptures. They publicly declare their new status and their desire to marry.” Adorned and dressed for these processions, their bodies are also accentuated by finely engraved chevron-patterned scarifications, such as those that once adorned women’s bodies, while the dark, glossy patina attests to regular anointing and, according to Kate Ezra, evokes the bodies of young girls preparing for the dances. Beyond this aesthetic dimension, the Jonyeleniw also fulfill a fundamental ritual role, as “the materialization of the soul of the feminine entity that is at the origin of the creation of the initiatory practices that organize society and maintain social order. ” With their hieratic stature, they embody the values of the Jo: the quintessence of the body, the purity of the soul, and the harmonious complementarity between individuals.