#1174 African Lg Old Colorful Leopard Mask Bozo Bamana 14" H

A wonderful wildly carved and brightly painted mask in the form of a Leopard head.The surface has been painted with red color with yellow and black dots minor losses and reflects the age and long use of this mask by the Bozo.

14" h by 9" w by 7" D

This important piece was part of a masquerade that is centered in the region around the Bamana city of Segou or the Bozo area of Mopti. This Bozomask is performed by young men of the region during the Sogo ba masquerade. youth groups, sing, dance, drum, manipulate puppets or dance masks in creating performances called Sogo Ba. Though considered to be a form of entertainment the performances are directed towards a description of the moral universe and the imperfection of humans and the need to educate people as regards ethical behavior and how to attain a religious way of life and how to maintain social and familial stability.