Nwantantay Mask

The Bwa are part of the Boboknown as “Bobo blacks” , like the “Bobo Fing”, considered the real ones Bobo. They are concentrated in the vicinity of Bobo Diulasso.

It is a Do or Doyo mask, popularly known as “mocha mask”, because its physical appearance represents a owl or owl and its nose represents the male sex, symbol of fertility. In reality the mask represents a genius of nature, a supernatural being, the spirit of the air associated with aquatic life. By representing a water genius they are intimately related to the fertility of the earth. The Doyo masks appear at the time of the harvests of millet, in the agricultural festivities and in the funerals of the important families. Also in some playful activities. Dance to the sound of the drums, flutes and balafones accompanied by the singing of the griots. It's a nice mask. During the dance, he spreads all his broad clothing, on the floor. It consists of leaves, feathers and vegetable fibers. Depending on the moment, it moves in different ways, evoking the insects that with the first rains come to the areas of the sea, sometimes birds or large birds such as the mochuelo or the ibis, having each movement a meaning more or less secret, only understood by the initiates. And accompany the future initiates to the sacred forest. It is a protective mask against evil spirits, protects the health of newborns and promotes marriage among young people. It manifests itself in important ceremonies and also in markets.

It is presented under the appearance of an elongated wooden board, decorated by a profuse polychrome formed by round, triangular and square figures within a strict organization of curved and straight lines. The black and white cadres relate the elderly to the young, that is, the two extremes of life, the wisdom of the elderly and the inexperience of the young initiates. And, the physical strength of the young and the weakness of the elderly. The elderly are represented by the black cells and the young by the white ones. The lower part forms the face, with mouth and beak, sometimes with other bumps. Vision occurs through the mouth or through eye holes, depending on the case. His eyes recall the owl while the bump hanging above the forehead would represent the peak of the calao, a sacred bird for many ethnic groups of the West African and ensuring protection of the clan. The bladed cross that appears in many masks represents the scarifications that the Bwa They used to do their foreheads. The top finish, in the form of “croissant” recalls the moon and female fertility.

The tops of these masks made with a wooden plate are as varied as their polychrome.

The table of this slightly trapezoidal mask is finished off by a crescent whose center descends a line of rhombuses, flanked by rectangles and post two triangles at the top.