Butterfly or Hawk Mask (duho)

This large mask, inspired by the wings of a bird or insect, is worn tied to the head. A bar in the back of the mask is also grasped in the teeth of the wearer to help stabilize it. The Bwa know that butterflies appear right after the first rains, so butterfly masquerades are held in the hope that rains will follow. Gallons of beer and large quantities of meat, fowl, and vegetables are prepared for the celebration where masks such as this one are worn. The Bwa people live in independent villages without chiefs, yet they are bound together by the veneration of the nature spirit Do, which is responsible for all living things. Production of the masking festivals is the responsibility of the Do society.