Top 5 Most Misunderstood African Traditions and Culture

Some masking traditions treat a mask as a permanent object, carved once and kept unchanged for generations. The Nuna of Burkina Faso do something different: they repaint their masks every single year, refreshing the same geometric patterns in red, black, and white on top of forms that never stop representing the same thing, a spirit…

The towering plank masks of the Bwa people are among the most visually arresting in African art. This guide explains their origin, symbolism, and ceremony.

Carved to represent the idealised beauty of deceased maidens, the Agbogho Mmuo mask is one of Nigeria’s most graceful masquerade traditions.