Dance crest ·  Liberia, Grebo · ID: 3042358

Description

wood, dark brown patina, encrusted remains of kaolin, conical base, crowned by a narrow head with massive semicircular ears, relatively small mask face with a beard from plaited strings of real hair, metal tags/holes, label: “Liberia - Village Kaweke Half-Grebo Bowo” at the bottom, slightly dam., minor missing parts, traces of insect caused damage, water spots, base;
the Grebo villages in the Liberian hinterland were completely isolated for a long time and largely cut off from the outside world. It was only in the 1970s that Cape Palmas, the most important Grebo town, was reached by land. Neither the “poro”, nor the “sande” societies had reached the Grebo, circumcisions were also not practiced. It is known that there were men’s “kiu” secret societies and the society for defending against witchcraft “kofi”. The “do yen” society was there to protect against the magical powers of water-beings as well as spirits that live at the bottom of the water and are able to harm people.
Little is known about the Grebo masks used by these societies. Mario Meneghini has written a paper on Grebo masks, but this type unfortunately is not mentioned.”

Comparing literature

Wolfram, Siegfried A., Liberia, Feldkirchen 2012, p. 43 Meneghini, Mario, Collecting African Art in Liberia and Neighboring Countries 1963 - 1989, o.O. 2006, p. 89 ff. Mario Meneghini, The Grebo Mask, in: African Arts, Autumn 1974, Volume VIII, No 1, p. 36 ff.

Publications

AHDRC: 0129813

Exhibition

BRUNEAF, Brussels Non European Art Fair XXII, Brussels 6-10 June 2012