Crocodile-Form Headdress from the Bobo people of Burkina Faso, West Africa

A Less Critical Costume

If you’re a member of the Bobo tribe in Burkina Faso, West Africa, there is a proverb saying, "never insult a crocodile until you cross the river!" It’s a polite way of saying, "be careful about criticizing others." It is also a reminder to pay special attention to this particular animal, for it is the agent of the water spirit – the guarantor of fertility and prosperity. Insult the crocodile and you may not have food on the table and you certainly won’t be rich. Conversely, be considerate and thoughtful and there will be plenty to eat. Your accounts will be overflowing. 

This Crocodile-Form Headdress takes great skill to dance at over 7 feet long

This week’s New Arrival features a crocodile headdress from the Bobo people. Like other African headdresses, this piece is part of a costume worn at special ceremonies; in this case to cleanse the natural world of impurities and bring the village rain. Danced in an undulating manner to mimic the fluid movement of the crocodile, the meaning of the performance can be more memorable than the spectacle of seeing it used. Witnesses attest this headdress left them less critical and more tolerant of all the forces encountered in the everyday world.

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