Origin: Bobo-Bwa ethnic group, Burkina Faso

Date: 2^nd half XX century

Description: Bwa masks, like the neighboring Gurunsi and Nuna peoples, are characterized by highly geometric patterns and dichromatic patterns of alternating dark wood and white kaolin clay. Such masks are ordered and owned by the clans for bringing blessings to the village during funerals and during planting and harvesting. They are also used in initiation rituals. The mask is worn by a skilled dancer who secures it to his face by holding a rope on the back of the mask. His body is hidden in a raffia costume, traditionally dyed red or black, but nowadays he can also be seen in other colors. Accompanied by musicians playing flutes and drums and women singing songs, the masked man dances quickly, mimicking the behavior of the spirit. The use of wood masks is relatively new among Bwa, who have traditionally used plant fibers and leaves instead.

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The purchase is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the National Institute of Museums and Collections' own program "Expansion of museum collections".