This mask was carved in the style of the Gurussi people of Burkina Faso. It features an antelope with geometric patterns painted throughout, a typical trait of Burkina Faso artwork.The Antelope mask represents one of the protective spirits from the bush, which is closely associated with the spirits of ancestors.
Such masks can perform on several occasions throughout the dry season from October to May, including funerals of elders and annual village cleansing ceremonies, when malevolent supernatural spirits are chased from the village.
