Serpent – Wood – A-Mantsho-Nga-Tshol – Baga – Guinea

Authentic Baga snake headdress, representing the spirit A-Mantsho-nga-Tshol, can be up to 260 cm high and typically display undulation, polychrome decoration and sometimes have eyes inset with glass. They were held on the shoulders of a dancer with the help of a light framework and appeared in ceremonies in which clans of quartier took part.
[The Tribal Arts of Africa, Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, p.20]

The serpent, Kakilambe, is a protective spirit that presides over young men’s initiation camps. It appears in the village on ritual days and to announce the return of the boys as men. Most versions, even the very large ones, were worn as headdresses.