African Mask Burkina Faso Red Mossi Monkey Helmet Mask

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

African Mask Burkina Faso Red Mossi Monkey Helmet Mask:
$410.46

This is a rare and old Red, Black and White Painted Wood Monkey Helmet Mask comes from the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. Masks play a fundamental role in Mossi lives, because they are the reincarnation of the animal totem, the spirits of the important dead elders, and of the collective spirits of the ancestors of the clan. Frequently both human and animal masks are provided with deep carved lines that slant across the cheek from the bridge of the nose. Additional burned-in markings forming a ladder-shape between the eyes and ears, and patterns on the cheeks, chin, and forehead represent traditional Mossi scars. All Mossi masks are carved out of a single piece of wood. The small, red, white, and black animal masks in the Ouagadougou style mask representing the head of a monkey is used in ceremonies dedicated to animals. Masks appear at burials, and at funerals of clan elders. Finally, they are portable altars on which the blood of animals may be offered as sacrifices to the spirits of the ancestors of the clan. Totemic masks also serve as direct lines of communication to the ancestors of the clan to which they belong. The mask, stripped of its costume, which is stored separately, becomes the personal ancestral altar of the owner and his lineage. Sacrifices are made directly on the mask, seeking the aid of the lineage ancestors in providing many healthy children, good wives, abundant rainfall, good crops, and success in any endeavor to be undertaken by the supplicant. Every member of a clan is connected to the animal that their clan’s masks depict. This red Mossi Monkey Helmet Mask is fabulous and rare to find on today\'s market. it was collected in the field 25-30 years, show age and has a crack in the bottom back. A magnificent addition to your collection.
COMES ON STAND
8\" tall on stand
Mask
5\" tall
5 1/2\" wide
7\" deepBACARA WE STAND BEHIND ALL OF OUR MERCHANDISE. WE CAN PROVIDE REFERENCES FOR ALL ARTIFACTS THAT WE SELL, AS WELL AS DOCUMENTATION TOWARD THEIR AUTHENTICITY. FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS. YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR MAIN GOAL, AND WE THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT THE WORLD OF BACARA.