Ceremonial plaque mask

Title: Ceremonial Plaque Mask
Population / Ethnicity: Bwa (comparisons with Bobo, Burkina Faso / Mali)
Cultural Area / Geographical Origin: West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali)
Material: Carved wood, natural polychrome pigments (red, white, black/gray)
Ritual Function and Meaning: Used in ceremonial and initiatory contexts (rites of passage, agricultural festivals). Bwa plaque masks represent nature spirits (Do) linked to fertility, community protection, and the regulation of social life. The central face may symbolize an ancestral entity, while the lateral animals evoke totemic forces linked to water and regeneration.

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Ceremonial plaque mask

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Triple figure with ritual horn – symbol of power and complementarity [QR]

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Seated female figure with ritual container [QR]

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