Djimini (also spelled Jimini) are a southern Senufo group of farmers in the north-eastern area of Ivory Coast. They are renowned for their unique artwork in unconventional style, influenced by a neighboring Senufo group. These works of art include wooden masks, statuettes, and pulleys.

This is a hand-carved figurative pulley that combines, in classic Djimini fashion, a humanoid face and characteristic horns of a savannah buffalo. Used on the traditional narrow-band loom, heddle pulleys are functional objects that ease the movements of the heddles while separating the warp threads and allowing the shuttle to smoothly pass through the layers of thread. Like so many other objects used in everyday activities, these pulleys were often embellished for the weaver’s delight. This wonderful pulley demonstrates the efforts by Djimini carvers into beautifying functional objects.

The question naturally arises of why such a seemingly purely functional object would be so beautifully and elaborately carved. It implies that pulleys, like the one in the Bët-bi collection, may have a more complex meaning. They perhaps have a spiritual value - inspiring the weaver in his creative process and in the making of beautiful cloths.