Why are Dogon masks used in traditional dances?

Among the Dogon people of Mali, masks are primarily used in spiritual and funerary contexts. They are worn by young adult members of the Awa, the men’s masking association, to drive away the spirits of the deceased at the end of the mourning period.1

These masks play a vital role in public ceremonies intended to ensure the passage of the deceased into the realm of the ancestors. Different mask types serve specific symbolic functions:

• Sirige: Features a tall, flat projection representing a multistory house.1
• Kanaga: Its architectonic form represents various concepts, animals, and the authority of God.1
• Satimbe: A rectangular face surmounted by the figure of a mythical woman, with a structure that recalls the facades of ancient Malian mosques.1

Additionally, the Great Mask, which is never worn and is remade every 60 years, represents the primordial ancestor who died in the form of a serpent. These practices are deeply linked to the Dogon's complex metaphysical system and their myth of creation.12