230537 - African BWA bird mask - Burkina Faso

African BWA bird mask - Burkina Faso

Hand carved from a single piece of wood.

Size; 45 x 14 cm.

The Bwa, unlike their more traditional Bobo neighbors, are far more receptive to change and outside influence, therefore they are prone to produce masks of a more fanciful nature than their conservative relatives.  

The Bwa occupy large areas of Mali and Burkina Faso, extending from the banks of the Bani River in Mali in the north almost to Diebougou and the Ghana/Burkina border in the south. The Bwa are farmers, which they consider to be the most noble of occupations. Most of the fieldwork is done by men, although women help out occasionally during the planting and harvest. In addition to cotton, which dominates their fields, the Bwa grow millet, sorghum, rice, yams, and peanuts. The Bwa now grow so much cotton they often must purchase other foods for cash in distant markets