Yangaleya Mask

It's the mask from whose forehead a big beak comes down to the chin. It is used by the secret society of the Do kiemvé. It comes from the region of Bonduku. Yanyaleya is the name of the bay of Abyssinia whose huge peak Ligbi they have integrated into this anthropomorphic mask that is manifested in the funeral celebrations of Muslim religious leaders and also in the fun festivities of the “aïd-el-fita”. They dance in pairs.

The calao is for the Ligbi, as for many other peoples, favoring the fruitfulness and protector of the souls of the deceased. But it is not they who sculpt their masks, but the Senufo.

Many of the masks Ligbi, both wood and lost wax are characterized by the large bird beak, the hornbill, with ringed neck, which from the forehead surpasses the lower part of the head. Small ears, hyena type, very high on the head and lateral fins, typical of the senufo. Arched eyes, straight at the base and facial scarifications. This mask dances mainly at funerals by important Muslim men who have stood out for their holiness and also at other celebrations.