Scholars record that the Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite held periodically for Dogon men. The goal of the ritual is to ensure the safe passage of the spirit of the deceased to the world of the ancestors. The ceremony is organized by members of Awa, a male initiation society with ritual and political roles within Dogon society. As part of the public rites related to death and remembrance, Awa society members are responsible for the creation and performance of the masks.

Source: Kate Ezra, “Art of the Dogon: Selections From the Lester Wunderman Collection,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1988, http://bit.ly/2YVuRmk