Afrikaanse kunst

Mende Bundu Sowei Masker (N° 21315)

In African art, sowei masks form an idealized representation of female beauty through the Mende culture.
They embody water spirits. This cephalomorphic mask forms an exemplar of the type of masks named bundu most important among the Mende. The face has a high domed forehead forming the upper half, while the narrow features are concentrated in the lower part. The face seems to be encased in a neck where the folds represent an abundance of flesh, a symbol of prosperity. Painted in black or tinted with a leaf wash, the mask was then rubbed with palm oil. Velvety matt patina, erosion, slight cracks due to desiccation. The Mende, Vaï and Gola cultures of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea are known in African art for their helmet masks, especially those of the female initiation society, Sandé, which prepares young girls for marriage. As for the male society, it is the Poro society.  Relatively rare in sub-Saharan Africa, these masks are made by men and worn by women.
To close the rituals, a "spirit" appears, wearing this mask lined with long raffia fibers, and waving a whip in order to chase away malevolent spirits and witches.

("L 'art africain" Kerchache and "Masques africains de la collection Barbier-Mueller" coll. Adam Biro)