Walu Mask

Walu is the mystical dogon antelope commissioned by the creator god Amma to protect the sun from the lulls of Yurugu, the pale fox, which is the symbol of disorder and insubmission and wanted to take over the sun. The fox believed the sun was his sister Yasigi. Since it was impossible for him to access the sun, the fox decided to take revenge on Walu and dug numerous holes in the ground that caused the antelope to fall, which was badly wounded. Then Amma appointed one of the eight primordial ancestors to heal him, but despite these care Walu died as a result of his wounds. The dance of the Walu mask, relates this episode.

The mask is presented in a quadrangular form on which stands a figure of woman kneeling representing Yasigi. Two side ears exceed the upper level of the head. The rectangular front, with a grid and nose always in arrow, characteristic of the Dogon. Although very different represents the hypothragus as well as the Gurunsi and the Kurumba. Native hunters call this antelope Koba and Europeans call it antelope horse or antelope sable. The walu mask is far from like the antelope. Dark patina.