Nufori acrobat-mask performs the final rituals of a Senufo funeral, Promafolo village, near Korhogo, Ivory Coast

"On the last day of the ceremony, two Nufori acrobat-masks into the village square perform the final rituals of a Senufo funeral. Known as Panthers of the Poro, the maskers wear brown, spotted costumes made from mud-dyed ritual cloth, designed to terrify the women and children in the audience, who are mormally excluded from masked rituals. Despite their humorous antics, they are respected and even feared by the villagers, whom they are entitled to hit with a switch. The masks are accompanied by a Boloye band, who play unique one-stringed calabash harps called bolongo." [Beckwith C., Fisher A., 1999: African Ceremonies. Volume 2. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.