REGION: Africa
COUNTRY: Liberia
YEAR PRINTED: 1971
VALUE: 6 cents
This stamp is one of a set of eight celebrating traditional masks of African peoples, none of which strangely is found in Liberia. This stamp depicts a mask from the Winiama people of Burkina Faso. The Winiama, like their Bwa and Gurunsi kin, have a highly recognizable mask style, with prominent use of white and red pigments and geometric designs. The eyes are usually represented by large concentric circles to convey the highly spiritual nature of the animal represented. Like most Winiama masks, this probably represents a mythical beast with characteristics of many animals, including antelope and bird.
