B.- MASSAGES AND STATUS OF INITIATION

We grouped all these categories of masks so as not to repeat the explanations contained in the part “Black-African artistic ethnography”. Agricultural masks are part of fertility masks. Fertility of fields and women are very united values in the animistic world. On many agricultural festivities the rites are destined to ask for the fertilizing rain of the fields to obtain good harvests or to thank the fruits received from nature and the masks dance as an integral part of these rites, but they also celebrate the fertility of the woman, dispenser of life, worker and caretaker of the fields. A large majority of masks participate in these festivities without being exclusively agrarian masks, as are the Ty Wara masks of the Bamana or BambaraThe same applies to initiation masks, although there is greater specialization in this case. Hunter masks, despite this name, do not mean that they are used during hunting, but belong to the hunters’ powerful secret societies. These dances participate both in the agrarian festivities and in funeral ceremonies and in the cults of ancestors. Many zoomorphic and anthropozoomorphic masks are agrarian and hunter masks and, contrary, most initiation masks are anthropomorphic masks. Over time many masks have evolved and changed functions. Masks that were sacred in their day have become playful masks. In some cases, less frequent, playful masks have become sacred masks by making them ported or owned by a notable ancestor. But it is difficult to chant the masks in a single category, as many of them participate in the most varied activities. Ventral masks celebrate and parody the different phases of female fertility while those of disease have the negative effects of some evil spirit. Today, most of the masks have lost their sacredness and participate in playful activities on the occasion of local festivities or the visit of important characters as young generations have moved away from the traditions of their ancestors. The passport masks identify their owner as a member of a designated secret society or ethnic group while allowing him access to ceremonies held in sacred forest or accompanying him in the journeys with a protective value.