Mask - Baga - Guinea-Bissau

This headdress is an example of a figure called an a-tshol, made by the Baga people. The figure depicts a composite bird-human spirit with a long protruding bird beak and a small, abstract human face on top of the beak. These headdresses are often housed in a shrine, where they reside among other powerful sculptures whose job is to protect and offer special healing powers to those who own and use them. Tshol primarily serve to protect their patrons from evil spirits, although they can also be used in burial ceremonies or worn as headdresses-masks in masquerades celebrating the harvesting season. It is often stated that the Baga male secret society of Simo owns these figures. This is not always the case, however, as it is oftentimes owned by an entire town or a specific family, and a designated respected elder is put in charge of using it and activating its powers.

People: Baga
Region: Guinee- Bissau