Wan-Balinga Face Mask

Origin: Mossi Tribe, Burkina Faso
Composition: wood, lacquer

With the Mossi, the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, masquerade customs are limited to farmers (nyonyose) and smiths (saya). Mossi masks (wango) are owned by family lineages and embody a clan's totem animal, which is believed to have played a key role in the emergence of each clan. The maskers appear at ceremonies honoring important ancestors and occasionally at secular festivities. Stylistically, Wan-Balinga masks can be classified into five groups, based on their region of origin; this mask style is known as the Ouagadougou style (Spirits Speak).