Baga (Bagga), Guinea & Guinea-Bissau

Ceremonial mask. The Baga people, 60,000 in total, occupy the northern coast of Guinea and the southern coast of Guinea-Bissau. The men fish and grow cola nuts; the women grow rice.in the marshy area flooded six months of the year. During that time the only way to get around is by a dugout canoe. They believe in a single god who is assisted by a male and a female spirit. Baga had rich traditions of multifunctional masks and sculpture, many of which were suppressed with the advent of Islam. The masks are used by dancers at birth, marriages, harvest festivals and other joyful ceremonies. The specific function of this rather unusual mask is not clear.

Material: wood

Size: 14”x7½”x7”