Large Duho mask, which among the Bwa people means the falcon (sometimes also called duba, meaning vulture), with geometric decoration, depicts the guardian spirit Bayiri. The mouth protrudes from the center and there is a large hook representing the hawk’s beak.
These face masks are worn by a performer who attaches them to the face by biting a thick fiber rope threaded through the holes in the mask. The mask is part of a costume that covers the performer’s head and body, and the choreography mimics the movements and behaviour of a hawk or vulture.
Among the Bwa, the term ‘Do’ refers to a masked dancer or performer who embodies both the entire universe and the divine force that is believed to have created it.