Gurunsi
The Gurunsi in Burkina Faso number more than 200 000 people and live between the Red Volta and the Black Volta Rivers.
The peoples that comprise the so-called gurunsi peoples include the Nuna, Nunuma, Lela, Winiama, Sisala and others.
The Gurunsi live in village communities, which are very concentrated.
Every three, five, or seven years the young (about 10 years) boys of the community are initiated into the secrets of mask use and meaning, and in their responsibilies as adult members of society. Initiation is called
buzuyu, "entrance into the swamp".
The gurunsi carve animal masks and plank mask . Masks carved of wood represent bush spirits, or spirits that take animal forms. The animals that occur most frequently are the antelope, buffalo, bush pig, hornbill, hyena and the serpent.
Frequently the snout of an animal mask is triangular when seen from the front opening. The rim of the mask may be decorated with series of small triangles, with the low interstices colored red. Eyes may be red, white and black circles.
The Winiama are the only people that do not repaint thei masks every year. Mask are often covered with layers of soot from kitchen fires, or of grime from repeated frequent use, so that the original red, white and black geometric shapes are difficult to distinguis, and only are visible in low relief.
Winiama informants state that such dark masks represent malevolent and unpredictable spirits from the bush that, like humans with mental problems, are unkempt and dirty, so that the masks are no repainted each year.