Bwa Tribe Collection

The Bwa, also known as the Bobo-Wule, are a people from central Burkina Faso and Mali. They are well-known for using masks made of leaves or wood in ceremonial performances. The majority of Bwa people still believe in animism (the belief that nonhuman entities such as animals, plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena have a spiritual essence), which is reflected in their mask carvings. Masquerades are used by the Bwa to commemorate rites of passage such as initiations and funerals. The Bwa can connect with ancestors and other invisible forces that govern the natural world through these masked performances, which take place primarily during the dry season.