The Mau, northern neighbors of the Dan, are the southernmost Malinke; they belong to the north Mande linguistic group. According to oral tradition, they descend from the Diomande who migrated from Mali to Côte d’Ivoire, pushing the Dan to the south. The koma, a powerful society that combat sorcery, is the institution around which all village life revolves. Probably stemming from the Bambara komo, this koma association is also related to the poro of the Senufo. Each male individual must at least accede to the first echelon of the initiation, which includes two periods of instruction directed by the master of the association, the koma tiki. For the rest, the Mau lead a life quite similar to that of Dan and, like them practice slash-and burn agriculture. They carve face masks with chin issuing a long beak. This type of mask is feared by the population as it has a judiciary function and is worn to denounce spell-casters.

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