Two Bobo Antelope Masks, Burkina Faso Two antelope masks, called Kaan, rest between dances. Their ritual role is to remove any vestiges of negative energy that have accumulated in the community since the last harvest. Having been absolved of misdeeds, the villagers are now free to begin sowing and cultivating in preparation for the approaching rains. The dance steps, performed over many generations, are extremely complex. Danced correctly, the movements are entreaties to the creator god, Wuro, to bestow good crops, health, and general prosperity on the community. Any departure from the prescribed steps would be considered highly inauspicious, and disaster could follow.
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