Antelope–giraffe mask

This mask of hypothragous antelope, stylized, with giraffe neck, comes from the region of Arbinda, Burkina Faso. By the shape of the horns there are those who see in these masks the antelope orix or adax. They carry an elongated spade peak. They are decorated along their entire surface with geometric drawings and a polychrome of the most varied. The reason he tends to think it's the hypothragus is that it's the totemic animal of much of the clans. Kurumba, from which most of the bearers and sculptors of these masks come. This privilege reinforces the religious power of clans that hold masks that are considered direct descendants of the founders of the clans of society KurumbaThis mask is called Adonié and represents the female antelope, wife of the civilizing hero Yirígué, the main divinity of the Kurumba, an ancient population currently acculturated by the Mossi. These masks belong to society Younyonsé or NioNiosé who used them to drive out the wandering souls of the dead from the village after the ceremony of the mourning of the heads of the earth. The wandering soul of the deceased was captured by the mask that constitutes its seat and altar. These masks were also used, forming groups, in propitiatory agricultural ceremonies and to fight against evil spirits.

Geometric drawings, white, black and blue, with points v

The middle of the horns has a white-painted area.