A1400-269
Crocodile Form Headdress
Tribal African
Burkina Faso
West Africa
Bobo People
Early 20th C.
Carved Wood
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Nuna communities of the Bobo people of Burkina Faso are formed around the worship of natural spirits and masks represent spirits of the wilderness. The crocodile’s body is covered with scales in a checkerboard pattern, representing the separation between knowledge and innocence. Crocodile masks are danced during important ceremonies in pairs with fluid, undulating motions. When the rituals are properly executed, it is believed the community receives fertility and prosperity.
