Buffalo Mask
Unknown Artist
early to mid-1900s
Medium
Wood, plant fibers, paint, and iron
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.698}}
Classification
Mask
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Katherine C. White
Accession Number
1969.2
About this artwork
Among the Bwa people, masks with human, animal, and fantastic traits typically represent protective bush spirits. This mask’s horns and muzzle identify it as a bush buffalo. Masked dancers appear during the dry season for initiations, funerals of elders, market days, harvest celebrations, and annual renewal rituals to protect the well-being of the community.