Antelope (probably the roan antelope, dajè) headdress

This commanding headdress likely featured in sogo bò performances organized by the kamalen ton youth association. Such entertainment includes masks and puppets portraying animals, mythical creatures, and figures from village life. While the theatrical ensembles showcase an ever-changing cast, dajè (the roan antelope) is a recurring figure whose masquerade is played by almost every sogo bò troupe. The animal is regarded for its great beauty, which is understood to be a protective cloak given to it by the free-roaming spirits of the wilderness. According to hunters, that beauty is so dazzling that it can paralyze a man. The song accompanying dajè’s performance is a lament for the hunting of such an arresting animal. The refrain reads:




Dajè sarama yoo ee (Dajè the beloved yoo ee)
ee sogo makari be n’na ee (ee the animal makes me feel pity)
Dajè sarama yoo ee (Dajè the beloved yoo ee)
ee sogo makari be n’na ee (ee the animal makes me feel pity)




Historically, sogo bò performances took place at the beginning of the dry season in late October or early November, a period that marks the beginning of the harvest season. Since the mid-twentieth century, many communities have added a second performance during the transition from the dry to the rainy season, signaling the start of a new agricultural cycle. That spirit of fertility and renewal is inherent to sogo bò, which spurs community farming efforts and facilitates young men’s social and cultural development. During kamelen waati (the time of youth), young men develop as social actors and acquire the skills that society deems necessary to function as competent adult men. They actively seek to surpass the accomplishments of their fathers by showcasing their physical prowess and by encouraging change and innovation in their communities. Sogo bò performances reflect and reproduce that generational tension and cycle of renewal through the development of new characters and the reenvisioning of existing ones.