BOBO / BWA HELMET MASK
Burkina Faso • Mid-20th Century
Its Story
Carved by the Bobo and Bwa peoples of West Africa, this helmet mask represents protective bush spirits. The bold geometric triangles signify the path of the ancestors, painted in symbolic pigments of kaolin white, ochre red, and charcoal black. It was danced during agricultural rites to restore cosmic balance.
Additional Information
- Hand-carved from a single block of African hardwood
- Thin-shelled, large-scale helmet construction
- Intact polychrome geometric earth pigment surface
- Deep tubular ocular sockets retaining interior grime
- Unpolished reverse showing original adze tool marks
