Unidentified

Face Mask with Bird

n.d.

Category
Culture
Bobo
Place Made
Burkina Faso
Materials
Wood
Measurements
19 1/4 x 8 x 10 in (48.895 x 20.32 x 25.4 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Robert P. Gordy Fund
Location
Sadie and Oliver Billion Gallery, African Art; Wall Case 15
Accession #
2001.16
Description

Wooden mask with protuberant eyes, aggressive curve of the nose, and large jutting mouth and chin. A carved bird, most likely a hornbill, stands atop the sagittal crest that runs vertically backward along the top of the helmet. Two ears are placed high on either side of the head, and detailed carvings representing scarification adorn the forehead, perimeter of face, cheeks, and chin.

This mask is an example of the entertainment masks carved by the southern Bobo, who live south of the villiage of Muna, near Burkino Faso's second city, Bobo-Dioulasso. Called bole, the masks are used at funeral performances and other public events. They are dedicated to Dwo, the god of springtime 's rebirth and new life. Masks like this appear frequently each year during the dry season from October to May and perform in front of a large audience of villiagers. They are worn with a thick fiber costume made of hemp and dyed bright colors using dyes imported from Germany. The performance of these masks consists of vigorous and athletic spinning, as the masker leaps across the performance area from one side to the other.