BURKINA FASO SUN MASK

41 x 43 x 4 inches The Bwa people inhabit central Burkina Faso, close to and across the border of Mali. Despite being a relatively small group, their history is rich and diverse. They do not, for example, have a political hierarchy of chiefs, despite neighbouring peoples governing themselves in this way. Sun masks such as this signify supernatural spirits and would have been used ceremonially, typically to invoke a successful farming season. The sun spirit signifies prosperity, fertility and good fortune. Historically, the Bwa made masks from leaves and vegetation. They began to carve masks from wood in the early 20th century. The process for making these sun masks involves first carving, and then painting them with clay paint, before curing them with smoke.