Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta)
Lobi

Wood
Mid-20th century
Length: 12 cm
Aerophone – Edge-blown – Flute/Whistle

Janus (two-face) flutes represent dualities such as life/death, beginning/end, youth/adulthood, rural/urban, war/peace, and barbarism/civilization.

Burkina Faso is a multi-ethnic nation with about sixty ethnic and linguistic groups. In the eastern and central region the Mossi are at the center, the Gurmanché in the extreme east and the Fulbe and Tuareg in the north. The western and southern regions the largest groups are the Bisa and Gurunsi in the south, the Lobi and Dagara in the southwest, the Bobo in the west, and the Bwaba and Samo in the northwest.