African Bwa Burkina Faso Bobo Butterfly Hawk Polychrome Masks for wall-G1083

43.6/16 -CM
A simply magnificent work by the Bobo tribe in Burkina Faso, Mali. These masks, which share stylized features of humans and animals, are referred to as Butterfly masks (because of the long widespread wing-like structure) or Hawk masks. They are mean to be worn to invoke the deity Do during ceremonies asking for rain and for the fertility of the fields during planting time and after the harvest. Butterflies often appear in mass swarms immediately after the first rains which also accounts for the motif. The geometric designs of each mask also carry various meanings. The light and dark pattern also symbolizes good from evil and female from male.