This mask was carved in the style of the Gurunsi people of Burkina Faso. It features an animated face with circular eyes and a diamond shaped mouth with exposed teeth. The top of the mask has a circular piece that has some damage and there is some imperfections to the mouth, and scrapes and scuffs throughout the piece – please inspect photos. The mask stand 19.5 inches tall and weighs 7 pounds.
Sale!
| Type of Object | Mask |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Burkina Faso |
| Ethnicity | Gurunsi |
| Material | Wood, Pigment |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 19.5" |
| Width (Inches) | 12" |
| Depth (Inches) | 11.5" |
| Weight (Pounds) | 7 lbs |
| Overall Condition | Damage to top horn and mouth – scrapes and scuffs |
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.