• Bassa People, Liberia, Africa

• Early 20th century

• Wood

• 9.75 x 4.25 in. / 25 x 11 cm

• Ex Peace Corps collection

Bassa sculpture was strongly influenced by their neighbors the Dan and Kpelle. Like these groups, the Bassa had several female and male societies, including the Chu-den-zo, to whom geh-naw masks belonged. With graceful, gliding dances, the geh-naw masqueraders entertained spectators when initiated boys returned from bush camp, when important guests visited the village, and on other festive occasions. The dancer wore the mask, which was attached to a woven framework, on his forehead, and looked through a slit in the fabric that was part of the costume covering his head and upper body. Because they were fixed on a framework, the interior of most such masks shows no signs of wear (Hahner-Herzog, Kecskési, and Vajda, African Masks, 1998).

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• Guinea / Liberia, Africa

• Early 20th century

• Wood, cowrie shells, accumulation, cotton

• 3.5 x 1.75 in. / 9 x 4.5 cm

• Height on custom display stand: 6 in. / 15 cm

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• Northeastern Igbo, Nigeria

• Wood, paint, mineral pigments

• Early 20th century

• 22 x 9.5 x 12.5 in. / 56 x 24 x 32 cm

• Height on custom display stand: 22 in. / 56 cm

This type of helmet crest, representing an elephant spirit (ogbodo enyi), is found in the northeastern Igbo region, where it is used by the Izzi, Ezzi, Ikwo, and neighboring groups. Originally the masquerades performed aggressive dances intended to maintain law and order, but their function was later limited to pure entertainment.

One side consists of an elephant’s head, strongly stylized and composed of geometric designs. The other side displays a human character projecting from a diamond-shaped field and wearing raised scarification marks. The striking black and white color scheme with orange accents underscore the plasticity and expressiveness of the mask. The holes along the lower edge once held bundles of raffia fiber that hid the head of the dancer, who also wore a knee-length costume of woven plant fibers (Hahner-Herzog, Kecskési, and Vajda, African Masks, 1998).

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