Tusyan

Burkina Faso

The Tusyan population is a small ethnical group living in the Southwestern Burkina Faso.
They are specially known for their large rectangular masks named Loniaken with figurative pictures and/or totem animals at the upper border.
These totem animals are symbolising the clan of the mask owner. These masks are used in initiation rites which are performed each 40th year. The young men go through a ritual where they dance through the forests with the masks.
Furthermore the Tusyan tribe is known for a different mask type called Cable which is a helmet mask with carved buffalo horns.

Fine Tribal & Modern Art Gallery