Nimba
/ˈnɪm.bə/noun
A large wooden fertility headdress or mask used in ceremonial dances by the Baga people of Guinea and neighboring West Africa.
Did you know?Nimba figures are often associated with fertility, successful harvests, and the protection of the community, but their exact original name-giving language is uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Baga languages
uncertain
“The indigenous term or terms behind the later English form are not securely documented.”
19th–20th Century
French
Nimba
“A name applied to a monumental Baga ceremonial headdress or sculptural figure.”
20th Century
English
Nimba
“An African ritual mask or headdress, especially one representing fertility and agricultural abundance.”
Modern English
English
Nimba
“A recognized term in anthropology, art history, and museum writing for the Baga ceremonial form.”