AFRICAN Burkina Faso

Female Figure from a Karan-Wemba (Living Ancestress) Mask

This dynamically carved figure was commissioned to honor a woman who had outlived her husband and attained the rank of “living ancestress,” a beacon of wisdom. Worn with a fiber costume, the mask—understood as an active entity—performed at the funeral of the ancestress and at subsequent commemorative festivals to promote communal well-being.

Vessel

Located along the Niger River in present-day Niger and Mali, the ancient sites of the Bura culture have been excavated by researchers and found to include areas dedicated to burials and other rituals as well as zones used for habitation. Some of the most striking discoveries involved the unearthing of huge cemeteries such the one […]

Vessel

Located along the Niger River in present-day Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, the ancient sites of the Bura culture have been excavated by researchers and found to include areas dedicated to burials and other rituals as well as zones used for habitation. Some of the most striking discoveries involved the unearthing of huge cemeteries such […]

Butterfly Mask

Bwa mask performances are among the most spectacular of all African masquerades and take place during the dry season between March and May. Today Bwa plank masks have become an important symbol of national identity and are pictured on the currency of Burkina Faso. Carved in abstract, human, and diverse animal forms, they perform during […]

Nwantantay Mask

Bwa plank masks, known more precisely as nwantantay, form the core of a visually spectacular entourage that includes abstract, human, and diverse animal forms. Their performances take place during the dry season between March and May and are among the most dramatic of all African mask dances. Bwa plank masks are carved from a single […]