Masker - hard hout - Senufo - Ivoorkust

Old Senufo kpelié mask.
Height 33 cm
525 g

An old mask of the Senufo from the north of Ivory Coast.
Signs of wear and tear and age.

The kpeliye’e masks portray the face of an ideal woman.
They are part of the ‘Poro Men’s Society’, and there are several aspects to their role:
they exercise political and social control, pass on traditional lores,
and play a religious role.
Kpeliye’e masks are particularly used at burial ceremonies to drive the spirit of the deceased out of the house.

The mask comes from the private collection of the ornithologist K. Kußmaul, Karlsruhe, and was acquired by him on his trips to Africa. It has a magnificent patina.

Shipped as a parcel with track & trace.

Insured shipping.