Nama tyétyé (hyena) headdress
Performers danced a diverse array of masks and headdresses owned by a ton, or community youth collective, during agricultural rites. Among these was the nama tyétyé, whose vertical, zigzagging extensions evoke the deviousness of the hyena. The headdress is attached to a woven cap worn atop a dancer’s head, while his face would be covered by a cloth with two eye holes. The hyena dance sometimes featured as an interlude, captivating the audience with its quick, acrobatic movements.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
