Bobo people live in eastern Burkina Faso, and also in Mali.  They instituted a series of purification rituals in order to reconcile themselves with nature. Their masks have the essential function of erasing evil and reinstating the God-given balance between sun, earth, and rain.

At the end of the dry season and before the work of cultivation begins, purification ceremonies take place, using masks of leaves, of fiber and wood, which may represent Dwo or protective spirits: warthog, male buffalo, rooster with its crest standing perpendicular to its face, toucan, fish, antelope, serpent, and hawk. All of them incarnate the forces of fertility, fecundity, and growth.  The masks symbolize animals or spirits and are worn during ceremonies associated with new crops, initiations and funerals. 

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Product Details:

• Size: 26" x 12" x 11"
• Shipping: $90.00
• Material: Wood
• Quantity: Sorry, this product is not available
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