This mask was carved in the style of the Gurunsi people of Burkina Faso. It features an zoomorphic face with geometric patterns covering the whole mask. The mask is meant to sit on top of the head with the snout facing outward. The mask measures 60 inches in length alone but 68 inches on the stand and weighs 15 pounds with the stand. There is some damage to the back of the mask and a crack in the lower jaw – see photos.
Gurunsi African Plank Mask 68″ On Stand – Burkina Faso*
$275.00
Sold
| Type of Object | Mask and custom stand |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Burkina Faso |
| Ethnicity | Gurunsi |
| Material | Wood, Pigment |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 60" mask & 68" w/ stand |
| Width (Inches) | 6.5” |
| Depth (Inches) | 7" |
| Weight (Pounds) | 7.5 lbs mask & 15lbs w/ stand |
| Overall Condition | Damage to back of mask and crack in lower jaw |
Tribe Information
About the Gurunsi People
“A number of tribes who speak dialects of the Gur language have been grouped together under the name Gurunsi. They number 200,000 and spend the dry season hunting and fishing. Gurunsi masks represent bush spirits and are characterized by eyes set within concentric circles. They are worn by dancers during funerals, initiation ceremonies, fertility rites and market-day festivities.
Gurunsi figures are less well known in the West, but have a role in divination rituals.
Gurunsi people wear ivory and bronze bracelets and like other tribes in the region, carve wooden flutes.”
Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.