Wan pesego mask – Wood – Mossi – Burkina Faso

Stunning Wan-Pesego mask from the MOSSI people of Burkina Faso.

Most Mossi masks symbolically depict totemic animals associated with particular clans. Each family has an animal with which it has mythological connections and which protects it from harm. Such masks would appear at the funerals of important family members, a moment loaded with personal, community, and spiritual significance. At the end of their own active lives, masks might go on to second lives as altars, providing connection to the spirits of commemorated ancestors.

This wooden mask symbolize an antelope and was worn during ceremonies associated with new crops, initiations and funerals. The mask is in good condition and contains traces of wear and tear.