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NATURE SPIRIT MASK
The plank-like character of this mask, with its geometric decoration and crescent shape at the top, are features that are found among the plank masks of the Bwa peoples. The domed forehead, however, is unusual, and may indicate a different origin for this mask. Among the Bwa peoples, plank masks, whose decorations are symbolic of nature spirits, were used for initiation and funerary rituals, market and harvest festivals, and for entertainment. The combination of patterns on a plank mask refer to its initiation name.
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