Water Buffalo Headdress

Item number 3677/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Bull, or water buffalo, headdress or mask. Carved and painted with off-white and blue designs, with orange-red inside the ears and hollow, traingular snout area. The horns form a closed circle at the top, with small notched ears projecting from the sides next to the horns. There are mirrored white triangles at the base of the horns, and a large white triangle on the forehead. The head section is round, and hollowed out at the back, with large white circular eyes on top. Repeating white triangles line the edge of the face and snout, with two rows of smaller white triangles across the base of the snout.

History Of Use

Ougadougou style mask, worn by the senior woman of the clan, usually the tribal king's wife. Wearer's are born into this mask clan.

Narrative

Marcel Ollivier was the French Consul General posted to Freetown, Sierra Leone, c. 1960s-1970, during which time he purchased this collection of objects (2853/1-9). He later finished his diplomatic service in Vancouver as French Consul General from 1982-1986, after which he retired to England. The objects were donated to MOA by his daughter-in-law.