Hombo Mask - Bwa People - Burkina Faso - SOLD

Price: $0.00


 


The segment of Bwa society called the Kaani, the endogamous blacksmith caste, uses the mask type named Kobiay, the rooster, with a very large round crest. These masks represent the spirit Hombo that once helped the smiths. The society of the smiths offer sacrifices to the spirit that protects them. The smiths of the Didiro clan in Hounde first encountered this Hombo spirit when they were forced to flee their village. They were trapped at the edge of a swamp. the spirit of the swamp, named Hombo, allowed them to cross but destroyed their pursuers. In annual celebrations of this event, the masks are performed in the smith neighborhood. 22"H x 8"W x 11"D