The Boa live between the Congo River and its right Oubangui tributary. The population of this region is of Sudanese origin. Although the Boa tribe was influenced by the Mangbetu, Boa works retain their originality. Only sparing information about their masks' use is available. Evidently they belonged to warriors associations or secret societies and were used in the context of war and hunt dances. Their power was thought to make men invincible and weaken the enemy.  The masks also protect society members from the dangers of illness, hunting, evil spirits, etc. Wood rings in place of ears and red (or black) and white contrasts are very typical for the Boa masks.

Provenance: Raskin Private Collection

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