butterfly mask - bwa - Burkina Faso (No reserve price)

This is a Bwa butterfly mask, from the Bwa people of Burkina Faso.

These masks are used during funeral ceremonies and also during harvest celebrations, to make the spirits of nature visible.

The protective portrayal of a sparrowhawk or a butterfly unfolding its broad wings is evident, especially since the center likewise embodies the sun, deified in its own right.

The butterfly mask is believed to protect the harvest and the villagers from malevolent spirits,

It is also associated with fertility and health; as with peoples around the world, on every continent, these same concerns and symbolisms are found.

So this great bird will protect your household; you simply have to believe in it.