This Bozo mask comes from Markala, a village 40 km from Ségou, which is close to the Niger River. Probably used in the Festival sûr le Niger. They are famous for their fishing and are occasionally referred to as the "masters of the river."  Though the Bozo are overwhelmingly Muslim, they preserve a number of animist traditions as well. Their animal totem is the bull, whose body represents the Niger and whose horns represent the Bozo fishing pirogues. Bozo masks are recognized for their vivid colors as well as their realistic, yet stylized execution of carving. Bozo artists have taken African traditional art in some new directions.

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