Description:

This circular mask was danced to celebrate the farming season. It represents the sun, necessary with rain and the earth for growth. Masks and sculptures of the Bobo, Bwa, Kurumbu and Mossi, living in Burkina Faso,  often combine stylised elements borrowed from animals and insects. The round shape and radiating geometric patterns suggest the sun, but these features frequently symbolise the bulging eyes and watchfulness of an owl.
In Bobo culture, the owl is a mystical nocturnal bird that acts as a guardian spirit. It is believed to protect families and villages from evil spirits. During various celebrations the mask will personify a spirit of nature or that of an ancestor in order to influence the daily life of members of the ethnic group.