Items & Description
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(1) MALI TWO-FACED MASK
MATERIAL: METAL ORIGIN: MALI, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 17cm x 14cm x 31cm A two-faced mask depicts the marriage of the sun and moon in African culture. This mask is used in rituals when twins are born. (2) IGBO TRIBE MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: NIGERIA, CENTRAL AFRICA SIZE: 31cm x 23cm x 18cm Igbos worship many Gods such as Chukwu (supreme god), Umuagbara (second to Chukwu), and Ndi Ichie (spirits of the dead). Using this mask, diviners in Igbo villages attempt to predict the future during house blessing ceremonies. (3) HOUSE BLESSING MASK MATERIAL: WOOD AND CLOTH ORIGIN: ZAIRE, CENTRAL AFRICA SIZE: 21cm x 29cm x 42cm Used for house blessing to keep away negative forces. (4) BURKINA FASO MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 17cm x 12cm x 37cm The Bobo Tribe used this mask during funeral rites to pay tribute to dead spirits and send them to the afterlife and to drive away evil spirits during planting and harvesting. (5) PUNU OKUYI MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: GABON, ATLANTIC COAST EQUITORIAL AFRICA SIZE: 5cm x 20cm x 38cm The Punu are equatorial people who settled in the southwest of Gabon, this masks have realistic mostly white but sometimes black faces. The scarification marks are thought to be associated either with a female ancestor, or with a southern sub-group of the Punu tribe. A dancer on tall stilts performing a house blessing dance would wear this mask tilted forward on his head. He would also wear costume of skins as well as raffia cloth and carry a whip of dried grass in each hand. (6) ZOOMORPHIC MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: BAMBARA, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 12cm x 14cm x 48cm This is an interesting mask imported from the Bambara tribe of West Africa. It is a spirit mask; Hyenas are often associated with witchcraft , the realms of the dead and also to fortify good harvest. (7) YUARE MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 11cm x 22cm x 42cm The Yaure are a sub tribe of the Baule. This mask represents human face often supplemented by animal attributes and used to keep evil away. Cases of death that jeopardize the social order are the principal occasions for an appearance of masqueraders. By means of their dance, they restore the social equilibrium of the community and accompany the deceased into the ancestral realm. (8) BAULE GOLI MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: GHANA AND IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 8cm x 45cm x 53cm This mask appears at times of danger, as during epidemics or at funeral ceremonies. They are considered intercessors with supernatural forces, or amwin, which can have a positive influence on human affairs, or if not appeased negative one. The mask is worn by young men with a goatskin over their back, who perform a lively dance to music and the singing of children and adolescents. |
(9) SENUFO MASK
MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 19cm x 8cm x 43cm Used in rituals to honor ancestors and to achieve purity and secure protection. (10) BAULE PROSPERITY MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 20cm x 15cm x 38cm Designed like faces of humans or animals, carvers of Baule place very particular attention to aesthetic detail. (11) YORUBA TRIBE RITUAL MASK FOR WISDOM MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: BENIN, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 24cm x 21cm x 32cm A symbol of the human head as the most essential part of a human being. The Yoruba Tribe is known to have one of the oldest and highest art traditions in Africa. (12) YORUBA CEREMONIAL MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: BENIN, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 19cm x 22cm x 38cm Like themselves, playful, lively and fun are reflected in Yoruba People’s masks. (13) SUKU TRIBE INITIATION MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: MALI, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 22cm x 14cm x 64cm This initiation mask performs different functions like frightening the public, healing the sick or casting spells. The wearer of this mask does not participate in dance rituals but instead displays terror among the crowd. (14) BAULE PROSPERITY MASK, MATERIAL: WOOD, ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 20cm x 15cm x 38cm, This initiation mask performs different functions like frightening the public, healing the sick or casting spells. The wearer of this mask does not participate in dance rituals but instead displays terror among the crowd. (15) BURKINA FASO MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 21cm x 9cm x 81cm Burkina Faso means “Land of Honorable and Incorruptible Men”. Two of Burkina Faso’s precious assets are indigenous masks and the art of dancing during sacrificial rites. (16) FEMALE MASK WITH ELONGATED LIPS MATERIAL: WOOD, GLASS BEADS, COWRIE SHELL INLAID ORIGIN: BAMANA PEOPLES, SEGOU REGION, MALI, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 25cm x 20cm x 61cm,\ Shell inlaid elongated mask from Bamana People often made after women because African people have high compassion and respect for them. (17) BAMBARA N’TOMO INITIATION MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: MALI, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 57cm x 23cm x 21cm This mask is used by male dancers during initiation ceremonies. Participants are expected to acquire the highest knowledge about their ancestral traditions within seven years after this initiation rite. |
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(18) GREBO WAR MASK
MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: GREBO, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 24.5cm x 12cm x 63cm "Grebo" means "leaping monkey people," a reference to their flight from a former homeland near the Sahara. This mask is believed to be part of a war costume worn by their military leaders. Today, this mask is used in the funeral ceremonies. (19) AFRICAN DAN TRIBE FERTILITY MATERIAL: VEGETABLE FIBER, WOOD AND COWRY SHELL ORIGIN: LIBERIA,WEST AFRICA SIZE: 22cm x 6cm x 30cm Many African societies regard masks as their bridge between earth and heaven. This mask is used for good harvest. (20) BWA RAM MASK BURKINA FASO MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 19cm x 18cm x 37cm Skilled dancers wore “hip masks” on faces, arms as legs during initiations, harvests and funerals. (21) ZAMBLE HELMET CREST MASK MATERIAL: WOOD AND PIGMENT ORIGIN: IVORY COAST WEST AFRICA SIZE: 13.5cm x 9.5cm x 36cm In Guro culture, distinctions are made between masquerades that are the focus of cults and those that are more secular in nature; this mask is a representation of certain families that used them as the sacrificial offerings proposed by diviners to improve their well-being. (22) CÔTE D’IVOIRE MASK (IVORY COAST MASK) MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 15cm x 10.5cm x 28.5cm Côte d’Ivoire people carved masks to be worn during annual harvest festivals, representing the sun as their source of life. This mask has emblems to mean a social class or a fertility symbol. (23) FANG MASK MATERIAL: TERRACOTTA ORIGIN: EQUATORIAL GUINEA, CAMEROON AND CENTRAL GABON SIZE: 5cm x 3.1cm x 9.3cm This mask is used during ceremonies to fight off evil and are usually worn by spiritual leaders to communicate with their ancestors. (24) FANG MASK MATERIAL: TERRACOTTA ORIGIN: EQUATORIAL GUINEA, CAMEROON AND CENTRAL GABON SIZE: 8.2cm x 3.9cm x 12.1cm This mask is used during ceremonies to fight off evil and are usually worn by spiritual leaders to communicate with their ancestors. (25) ZOOMORPHIC MASK (FISH) MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: AFRICA SIZE: 19.2cm x 14cm x 14.5cm Pre-historic hunters concealed themselves in animal hides in order to approach their prey undetected. |
(26) EKET MASK
MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 41cm x 15cm x 45.5cm Mask from Eket people, a subgroup of the Ibibio of Nigeria. (27) TEKE MASK w/ FEATHERS MATERIAL: WOOD AND FEATHERS ORIGIN: CONGO, CENTRAL AFRICA SIZE: 41cm x 5cm x 34cm Members of the Kidumu society wear this mask during funerals, weddings and important meetings. (28) AFRICAN IVORY COAST DAN CEROMONIAL MASK MATERIALS: WOOD AND COWRIE SHELLS ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 19cm x 9.5cm x 28cm Antique Ceremonial dance mask from the Ivory Coast and most likely from the Dan Tribe of the Ivory Coast. (29) AFRICAN TRIBAL ZOOMPORPHIC MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: WEST AFRICA SIZE: 22cm x 10cm x 32.5cm This mask represents dangerous and powerful natural spirits, and can be an abstract and terrifying combination, some masks combine human and animal features. This convey the links between humans and animals, in particular the ability to gain and control the powers of animals and the spirits they represent. (30) TOMA MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: SIERRA LEON, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 33cm x 17cm x 60cm This is a Toma mask, a bakrogui, which is a smaller version of the bigger masks, used in the initiation of boys into the men's society, poro. The initiation is begun by the appearance of this great mask, which represents the great spirit of the forest, to call the boys of Toma to the forest for the coming-of-age ordeal and ends with the symbolic devouring of these boys and their rebirth as men. (31) TOMA LANDAI MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: GUINEA, WEST AFRICA SIZE 33cm x 17cm x 60cm This brooding mask often quite large, mask represents a forest spirit, Landai Masks like these were used by the men's Poro Society to initiate boys into manhood. The mask in what was often a frightening ritual for the boys, would symbolically swallow the boy, who would then re-emerge as a man. The masks were worn with a large raffia costume. Most have a flat face, the traditional beaked nose, jaws of teeth, protruding brow and horns. This mask is a twin because Tomas make the bakrogui in twos. Also, according to the Toma tradition, it can only be seen by members of the poro. The horns atop the mask mark the spiritual connection between the world of the spirit and that of men because spirits are believed to live in the forest much as animals and the latter is used as a connection to the world of the former. Such masks as this are likewise believed to be the dwelling of an ancestral spirit. (32) ZULU WAR MATERIAL: WOOD, ORIGIN: ZIMBABWE, SOUTH AFRICA SIZE: 18cm x 7cm x 40.5cm, In the Zulu tribe the famous warrior Zulu and Ka Senzangakhona united their tribe into a powerful kingdom. This represents Zulu’s cleverness and brutality that lead their kingdom into success. |
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(33) IVORY COAST MASK
MATERIAL: WOOD, ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA, SIZE: 22cm x 15cm x 30cm, This ceremonial mask is made and worn for house blessings to attract good fortune and seek guidance from the spirits and only powerful people are allowed to own this mask because they are sacred, dangerous and believed to have souls or life force. (34) YOURUBA TRIBE MASK MATERIAL: BRASS IN LAID WITH GLASS BEAD ORIGIN: NIGERIA CENTRAL AFRICA SIZE: 17.5cm x 4cm x 59cm The Yoruba tribe of Nigeria has a popular festival that takes place once a year were “Egungun” worshippers represent the spirits of the departed by wearing masks in order to communicate with them. (35)LIGBI MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST AND GHANA, WEST, AFRICA SIZE: 15 cm x 13 cm x 38.5 cm Ligbi mask show the influence of Senufo kpelie mask. Nevertheless, the downcast curved eyes and the use of pigments are typical for this mask. They are danced during the funerals of distinguished Moslem holy men, and their performances also mark the end of Ramadan. The masqueraders are greatly admired for the grace of their dance movements, which they perform in pairs and in perfect unison. They are also valued for the positive qualities, whose behavior and family life are considered exemplary by the Ligbi. (36) NGOIN MATERIAL: WOOD, PIGMENT ORIGIN: WESTERN GRASSLAND, CAMEROON SIZE: 54cm x 37cm x 66cm Most masks found in Western Grasslands kingdoms of Cameroon belongs to secret associations, especially the Kwifoyn society that assists the king or Fon (people who are inhibiting the southern part of benin) in maintaining social and religious order in the community or to important families whose masks are controlled by the Kwifoyn Society, worn by their men with high social status and it represents wisdom and prophecy. (37) NYANGBAI MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: NORTHERN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 33cm x 15cm x 60cm This mask is the counterpart of the enormous lana mask of the Toma people, has a special place in my heart. The typical nyangbai has a high domed projecting face, with a strong nose and no mouth. The passport and personal masks in this case are a virtual survey of variations on the Toma mask form. (38) GURO MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 17 cm x 14 cm x 40.5cm The Guro style, however, has one or two distinguishing marks: the face of the human mask is usually longish while the forehead and bridge of the nose form an elegant S-shaped profile. The tattoo pattern cut in relief on forehead and cheeks is a repetition of the short protruding tattoo marks on the men’s faces, and another characteristic of many. Guro masks is the broad, wooden collar that serves as a fixture for the raffia cloak. There is a much stronger tendency than with the Baule to add animal features to the human face. During entertainment festivals on the head of a dancer, or are kept in houses and employed as divination figures of great elegance, embodying the protective spirit of labor. (39) ENTERTAINING DEANGLE MATERIAL: WOOD AND VEGETABLE FIBER ORIGIN: IVORY COAST, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 5cm x 20cm x 38cm This Mask entertains and teaches in the village. Singing deangle entertain and teach by singing accounts of history or memorable recent events; dancing deangle entertain and sometimes teach correct behavior. Deangle whose function it is to entertain tend to be dressed more elaborately than the bonagle, wearing richer garments and sometimes a more elaborately carved face mask. One type of gle in this category is the sohngk, named for its tall conical hat that looks like a basketry fish trap, sohn. The sohngle is said to be the best dancer, but it jokes, sings stories, walks with great dignity, mysteriously drinks water or palm wine with face mask in place, and imitates the birds of the forest as well (Kerser 1986, Tabmen 1986). (40) EKET MASK (MONKEY) MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA SIZE: 45cm x 12cm x 48cm Mask from Eket people, a subgroup of the Ibibio of Nigeria. (41) BARSAWA TRIBE MASK MATERIAL: WOOD ORIGIN: ZAIRE, CENTRAL AFRICA SIZE: 26cm x 21cm x 39cm Basarwa people are known for being aggressive to some degree. Their profession is inclined mostly to hunting and gathering of food with territory that extends to Southern Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. |