Mask, Bwa or Nunuma; Burkina Faso
Wood, iron, pigment; H. 25"
Embodying bush spirits, Bwa and Nuna
masquerades invoke the natural forces on which life
depends and frequently represent them in the form
of animals, reptiles, birds, and insects. The masks
are painted black, white, and red in various geometric
patterns and signify order on the cosmic as well
as political, economic, and religious levels. The
shape of the horns on this mask would imply those
of the buffalo (Syncerus caffer), a beast
seen only at dawn or dusk and associated symbolically
with chiefs and culture heroes throughout much of
Africa. This example admirably balances the various
animal characteristics that are depicted. Leaf-covered
masks, rather than those carved of wood, are the
more ancient form and are performed separately by
rival associations.
