This mask was carved in the style of the Dan Bete Guere people of Ivory Coast. The mask features a face with horn like objects protruding from the cheeks and forehead. It measures 13 inches tall, 20 inches including the raffia beard, and weighs 3.5 pounds. There is minor cracking, scuffing and wear and tear. Please inspect photos. Stand not included but one can be added for an additional charge.
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Dan Bete Guere Mask 13″ – Ivory Coast – African Art
Original price was: $135.00.$108.00Current price is: $108.00.
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| Type of Object | Face Mask |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Ivory Coast |
| Ethnicity | Dan Bete, Dan Guere |
| Material | Wood, pigment and vegetable fiber |
| Approximate Age | Unknown |
| Height (Inches) | 13" mask, 20" including raffia |
| Width (Inches) | 9" |
| Depth (Inches) | 7" |
| Weight (Pounds) | 3.5 lbs |
Tribe Information
About the Bete People
“The Ivory Coast is home to the Bete – the live between the Akan tribe to the east and the Guro tribe to the north. They number 350,000 and live in villages, with the eldest man of the main family at the head. Historically, they were hunters, but nowadays they also farm. Religion, omnipresent in Bete life, aims to maintain a harmonious relationship between nature and the ancestors who are responsible for the welfare of the tribe. Elaborate masquerades are ceremonies are performed by the men of the tribe who belong to dance societies. “
Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.
About the Dan People
“Dan people, who are also known by the name Yacuba, live in the western part of the Ivory Coast and into Liberia where the land is forested in the south and bordered by a savannah in the north. The 320,000 Dan people make their living from farming cocoa, rice and manioc. Before unifying secret societies were set up at the turn of the century, each Dan village was an autonomous socio-political unit governed by a chief elected on the base of his wealth and social position. Today, the leopard society acts as a major regulator of Dan life and initiates young men during their isolated periods of three to four months in the forest. Dan people have achieved notoriety in the area for their entertainment festivals which were historically village ceremonies, but are today performed largely for tourists. During these festivals, masked performers dance on stilts.”