The great Dogon masks can be classified into four main categories: Kanaga, Sirigé, Wakara and Satimbe. The mask shown here belongs to the Sirigé category, i.e. the stepped mask (also known as the stepped house mask), traditionally used by members of the Awa initiatory society. It is the longest mask used during ceremonies and is striking for its height of several metres. It represents the Ginna, that is the home of the ‘big family’ (for which only paternal kinship counts). Only a few chiefs or rich men may own one.
The figures grouped in ascending series represent the lineages of the ancestors, linking the dancers to the supernatural world.