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Mende Soweii Style Mask 19″ – Sierra Leone – African Art

$192.50

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This mask was carved in the style of the Mende people of Sierra Leone, meant to represent a Soweii mask. She measures 19 inches tall and weighs 7 pounds. There is a crack on the left side of her face and minor chipping and wear and tear – please inspect photos.

Type of Object

Helmet Mask

Country of Origin

Sierra Leone

Ethnicity

Mende

Material

Wood, Pigment

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height (Inches)

19"

Width (Inches)

10"

Depth (Inches)

10"

Weight (Pounds/ Ounces)

7 lbs

Overall Condition

Crack on left side of head. Scuffing and wear and tear.

Tribe Information

About the Mende People

“The Mende Settled in Sierra Leone in the 16th century, having migrated from the north. Today, the 2,000,000 Mende live mostly from the rice and cocoa farming and are organized into different chiefdoms. Social order and structure are regulated through the Poro male and Sande female societies. During ceremonies associated with the latter, women wear Bundu masks which embody idealized female beauty and represent an ancestor of the society.
Other Mende societies are responsible for the protecting of their members from illness or curing them. Female figures are carved and revered for their healing properties and also serve as emblems for the society when they are formally displayed during processions. Stylistically, they can be resting on their abdomen and their typical head with an exaggerated coiffure.”

Source:
Baquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. 1998. Print.

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