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Helmet Mask,

The white paint on the face of this mask identifies it as a representative of ancestral and spiritual realms. In Kwese society, sacred masks perform at initiation ceremonies and on other occasions to promote social well-being, health, and abundance.

Counselor’s staff (Okyeame Poma),

Gold leaf-covered sculptures surmounting staffs such as this one embody proverbs that communicate ideas about wisdom. Counselors to Akan kings and chiefs carry resplendent gold staffs on public occasions to send silent messages to their audiences. The imagery of this finial sculpture relates to proverbs associated with good leadership. A focused facial expression animates the […]

Female Figure from a Karan-Wemba (Living Ancestress) Mask,

This dynamically carved figure was commissioned to honor a woman who had outlived her husband and attained the rank of “living ancestress,” a beacon of wisdom. Worn with a fiber costume, the mask—understood as an active entity—performed at the funeral of the ancestress and at subsequent commemorative festivals to promote communal well-being.

Rooster Headdress,

Bull Headdress,

Figures,

Two Men,

Ere Ibeji,

Mask,