Senufo bird

In the initiation ceremonies of the Poro of Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, a Senufo bird is a hat worn by men or carried in a procession, especially during an initiation ceremony.^[1][2] Between uses it is kept the Poro’s secret tree grove.^[2] The base is hollowed out underneath so that it may fit like a cap on the head.^[2] However, many of the birds stand on cylindrical bases that seem to be designed to rest upon the ground.^[3]

A wooden Senufo bird

The Senufo "is said to symbolize fertility, increase and the continuity of the community."^[1]

According to Senufo belief, the hornbill was one of the first living creatures.^{[citation needed]}

The long phallic beak touching its swollen belly suggesting pregnancy, represents the dual forces of the male and female parts.^[2]

See also