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Mossi Brass Hunter Figure Burkina Faso MATTER COLLECTION

A beautifully cast brass Mossi hunter figure. Very elegant.

The Mossi, the largest group in Burkina Faso, trace their origins to Ghana in the 1500s. They're known for elaborate masquerades with vibrant, intricately crafted masks and costumes. These masquerades, featuring masked dancers representing ancestors and natural forces, accompany honored elders' funerals.

Sculpted figures called Ninande serve various purposes, often associated with chiefs and elders during ceremonies, symbolizing local political ties and authority. At funerals, some figures are buried with elders, and during annual ceremonies, they're adorned with cloths resembling those worn by Mossi women. The "biiga," though called a doll, transcends mere playthings. For young girls, it signifies the power to bear children and serves as a representation of a baby they learn to care for.

Passed down from mother to daughter or sister to sister, the biiga is washed, dressed, and carried like a real child. It undergoes repair by a diviner if damaged and features a cylindrical base, accentuated breasts symbolizing motherhood, a stylized head resembling the gyonfo hairstyle, and realistic scarifications similar to those of the Mossi people.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much.

Height (In): 15.5
Width (In): 3.0
Depth (In): 4.0

153790