How many different styles of Mossi masks are there?
How many different styles of Mossi masks are there?
The Mossi produce not just one mask style, with a tall plank, but make and use three major styles of masks, with several substyles as well. The heterogeneity of these styles reflects the complexity of the ethnic composition of the Mossi people.
What is one use of the Mossi mask?
Totemic masks like this one are intended to serve as direct lines of communication between their owners and the founding members of their extended family. Each year the clan applies libations to its masks at a community ritual which occurs in May just before the beginning of the rainy season.
What do horns represent on African masks?
It symbolizes agriculture and is worn to enable better crops. Horns represent growth of millet, legs roots of the plants while ears represent songs that women sing in the harvest time. Mask are sometimes made with details from different animals and then they represent some virtue.
What is a Bobo mask?
This genre of helmet mask, known as bolo (pl. bole), is worn by blacksmiths at important agricultural celebrations, initiation rites, and funerals in Bobo communities. The surface of the mask is incised with numerous vertical and diagonal lines that create intricate geometric patterns of triangles and squares.
Where is the Senufo tribe located?
Senufo, also spelled Senoufo, a group of closely related peoples of northern Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and southeastern Mali. They speak at least four distinct languages (Palaka, Dyimini, and Senari in Côte d’Ivoire and Suppire in Mali), which belong to the Gur branch of the Niger-Congo language family.
Do African masks tell a story?
Although Africa is a huge region, masks are worn and used in village ceremonies throughout the continent. Masks are used in social ceremonies (weddings, funerals, etc.), seasonal celebrations, and religious events. They are used to tell stories, impart wisdom, and ask for spirit blessings and protections.
