Originated from Ghana, this mask is linked to the python myth, this tall, colourful serpents are headdresses called Bansonyi. When used, they tower above a light framework that is carried on the head or shoulders of a dancer. The dancer is hidden beneath a shaggy raffia costume, which resembles a haystack. The dancer moves rapidly whilst shouting, shaking and twirling the structure. Two or three serpents sometimes engage in mock combat, representing village lineages.
The snake represents A-Mant-nga-Tshol (the master of medicine); the source of rivers; and the beginning and end of time.
