DOGON, MALI
WOOD, HEIGHT 80CM

The Dogon are renowned for their masquerade festivals, called “dama”. Sometimes up to hundreds of men get together and dance, wearing all kinds of phantasy masks. The masks either depict animals or human beings. Some of them like this one have figures displayed on top of the masks. Only men are allowed to wear masks while women must keep away from the performance, only watching from a safe distance.