Monumental African Tribal Burkina Faso Horned Bobo Ceremonial Mask

This tribal African ceremonial mask or puppet head would have been used by the Bozo ethnic group during the Sogobo ceremony. This ancestral tradition continues in the region of Segou in Mali along the Niger river. It is an opportunity to regroup the different villages and give rise to musical and theatrical performances whose highlight is the puppet show.

Intended to honor the spirits of nature so that they protect the people and ensure the abundance of the rains, of fishing and harvesting.

Sogo bó, from sogo: Animal, meaning “the animal comes forth”.

Mask and puppet theatre plays a key role in the culture of two peoples closely linked in central Mali: The Bozos – the fishermen, and the Bamana – the farmers. These plays are a blend of numerous forms of theatrical expression:
Dancing, singing, music, puppets and masquerades (masked dances). In addition to performances governed by the farming season for the Bamana ethnic people, and the fishing season for the Bozos, puppet shows are put on to mark important community events: Marriages, circumcision ceremonies which take place every ten years and funeral rituals, etc. All the villagers, regardless of age or gender, can attend the shows, which take place on the village square and sometimes on
the river in the case of the Bozo community.