But the mask turned out to be a rare piece of African art — a 19th-century Ngil mask used in rituals by the Fang people in Gabon, with only a handful of such pieces in existence. Only about a ...

For more than 20 years photographer Phyllis Galembo has traveled Africa and Haiti documenting the art of the masquerade. What is it about masks? “It’s the creativity,” says Galembo.

Yanick Folly / AFP Dozens of people wearing masks in different styles parade ... Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at ...