Yatenga style African masks have been cited as most characteristic of the Mossi style in all publications to the present. They are vertically oriented, worn over the face, and consist of a round or oval facial area surmounted by a tall, thin, wooden plank, often a meter or a meter and a half long, with a very small antelope head and long horns rising above the mask face just in front of the plank. As in the rest of Mossi country, tribal masks are called Wango. However, Yatenga Style tribal masks with oval faces, planks, and antelope horns may also be referred to by the more specific name Karanga. Karanga are worn in a costume consisting of a traditional Mossi shirt and trousers, a lightly fringed fiber skirt tied around the waist, and a cloth or fiber cap which helps to bind the mask to the wearer's head. The costume hides the identity of the wearer but no attempt is made to conceal the fact that the tribal mask is worn by a human, in contrast to the very heavy fiber costumes worn with masks in the southwest and in the far eastern regions of Mossi country. The concave face of the Yatenga style mask is painted white with chalk or lizard excrement mixed with egg. Geometric designs which are carved into the surface of the plank are outlined in white, alternating with areas painted earth-red with ground hematite stone.
Origin: Burkina Faso
Condition: This Yatenga style African mask is in good condition but does show some signs of use. Part of one of the antelopes horn is broken and there are cracks in the bottom part of the mask.
Measurements: 46" tall and 6" wide
Add this unique piece to your African mask collectibles!
Specific References
Used
16 other items in the same category:
