Mossi Biiga Doll Burkina Faso African Art

Description

Title
Mossi Biiga Doll Burkina Faso African Art
Type of Object
Doll - Female figure
Country of Origin
Burkina Faso
People
Mossi or Moshi
Materials
Wood
Approximate Age
20th century
Height (in)
14
Width (in)
1.5
Depth (in)
2.5
Overall Condition
Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.
Additional Information:
A Mossi doll in the form of a female figure wth a long slim torso with breasts and marking. The figure has no arms and legs.  The Mossi identify such dolls as
biiga
.
The Mossi are today the largest single group living in Burkina Faso. They originated from horsemen who made their way north from present day Ghana during the 1500’s. Mossi are renowned for their masquerades and the use of large superbly sculpted and brightly painted masks and colorful costumes. Among the Mossi elders are highly honored with elaborate funerals and the appearance of masked dancers with masks representing ancestors and various spirits and forces of Nature in dramatic and often vigorous dances. Sculpted figures known as Ninande (pl.) have a number of functions and It is difficult to establish the use of a figure without specific knowledge of it’s use. This stylized sculpted female figure has and unusual Mossi facial and body lines and a ringed neck. The high crested hairstyle is a version of
gyonfo
coiffure worn by the female among the Mossi.
In general, figures are identified with local chiefs and clan elders during ceremonies reinforcing local political relationships and chiefly authority. Figures are also used at funerals and in some areas are buried with the elder. During yearly public ceremonies figures honoring ancestors will have cloths wrapped around their waists similar to cloths worn by Mossi women.Among their many works is the “biiga” or doll; though the word doll is not a good translation of the because the function of the sculpture goes way beyond that of a ‘plaything.’ For a young female child the biiga represents the power that will enable her to have a child and simultaneously the baby she is learning to take care for.
The biiga doll is washed and dressed and carried on the back just like a real child would be. If it is damaged, the biiga is taken to the local diviner for attention. The biiga is passed on from mother to daughter or from sister to sister. All Mossi dolls have a cylindrical base that is slightly wider than the body. It is carved without legs or arms but has accentuated breasts which are a symbol of motherhood. The head is a stylization of the gyonfo, a female hairdo with 3 crests; the center one running from the forehead to the base of ht e neck. Lines that are etched into the head represent braids. The biiga also features scarifications that are realistic and found on the Mossi people themselves.
For a similar example see Roy, Christopher & Thomas G. B. Wheelock, Burkina Faso Land of the Flying Masks. The Thomas G. B. Wheelock Collection, 2007,figs. 478-489
Recommended Reading:
Roy, Christopher & Thomas G. B. Wheelock, Burkina Faso Land of the Flying Masks. The Thomas G. B. Wheelock Collection, 2007
Roy, Christopher., The Art of the Upper Volta Rivers, 1987.
Elisabeth, Cameron, ISN'T S/HE A DOLL-PLAY AND RITUAL IN AFRICAN SCULPTURE, 1996
**134162**
All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2021
Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!
Please visit our About Us page.
Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 56,000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than 5,000 in charity auctions.
Customer Service
: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care!
Handling Time
: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours.
Returns
: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card.
Combining Shipping
: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order.
When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card.
U.S. Shipping
: Our staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of labor and the special packing materials used is reflected in our shipping price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. .
International Shipping
: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request.
Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior.
Newsletter, previews and special offers
: Sign up for our newsletter
Go to Africa Direct Store