Mossi tribe, Burkina Faso, Late 19th c.
30"L X 6"D X 7"H

Masks, as well as mask-wearers, are called wango (wan-go) in the Mossi tribe. Each wango is owned by a clan within the tribe, and the members are said to embody the traits and strengths of the animal depicted by the mask. The members would also never kill that species of animal. The chameleon, as a creature, represents transformation. The curl of its tail into a spiral is also significant, as it represents the passage of time.