Large Serpent Mask doho

Origin: Bwa Tribe, Burkina Faso
Composition: wood (one piece), pigments

The Bwa of Western Burkina Faso are famous for the enormous serpent masks they carve to honor a spirit that appeared to them in the form of a serpent. These masks appear at almost every celebration, because they attract large crowds of spectators, both from the local community and from significant distances. People come to town to see the masks and spend their money in the market, contributing to the properity of the village. The wearers of these serpent masks also perform frequently at the large cultural festivals in Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Dédougou, and Pouni, a recent development in Burkina Faso.

The mythic events surrounding the serpent in Bwa belief relate that a large serpent allowed the founding ancestor of the Bwa tribe to take shelter in its burrow. The natural history of the African Rock Python, the reptile depicted here, actually lends credence to this tale. This species of python is particularly aggressive and cantankerous, and can attain nearly 30 feet in length (certainly a reptile to be reckoned with). However, during the dry season, these pythons hibernate in holes and hollows, and often share their den with other animals. Thus, this part of the legend of the origin of the clan has the potential ring of credibility.

At over eleven feet in length, it is one of the largest serpent masks collected. A 15-foot exmaple was published in "Land of the Flying Masks," and a 12-foot example was published in "African Art in American Collections," and is on display in the Seattle Art Museum.

Dancing such an enormous mask, held upright by nothing more than a rope between the teeth and a knotted net cowl drawn over the head and shoulders, is a tour de force of which there are few equals. An incredible piece.

SUJARO collected this mask from a very old dealer in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, while on a field collecting trip. It was, after seeing this mask only in books through the years, a great surprise to actually see such a piece and be able to purchase the piece. Remarkably, the piece is carved from a single piece of wood, and is colored using pigment stains, including chalky kaolin pigment for the white.

Reference: Roy/Wheelock, "Land of the Flying Masks," 2007.