Kòmò- or kònò-kun (head of Kòmò or Kònò) helmet mask

Combining features of multiple animals, Kòmò-kun constitute ferocious beings. They are the focal point of nightlong masquerades that channel nyama (life force) to affect great change in the community. Their dramatic synthesis of raw, untamed natural elements instills in spectators a sense of awe. Wearing the headdress horizontally, the performer would obscure his body with a costume composed of cotton and bird feathers. These secretive performances—featuring complex choreography animated by rhythmic music and vocals—are held in sacred groves accessed only by initiates of the Kòmò or Kònò power associations. The mystical forces wielded by these masks make them dangerous for the uninitiated viewer; many Kòmò members report that women and children risk death were they to see these fearsome creations.