Helmet mask "bonu amwin" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3037560

Description

light wood, painted in black, accents in red and white colour, of characteristic form, open snout with big teeth, voluminous horns, slightly dam., minor missing parts, traces of insect caused damage (helmet), rep. (horn tip), abrasion (nose), base;
“bonu amwin” are sacred masks, when they enter the village, women and children remain inside and keep doors and windows closed, for seeing such masks is forbidden to them. The masks are summoned at times of crisis, such as war or epidemic, and also at the death of an important person. They danced for example, during the final illness and death of Côte d’Ivoire’s first president, Félix Houphouet-Boigny.

The object Helmet mask “bonu amwin” with the object ID 3037560 was last part of the auction 78th tribal art auction at October 18, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 211.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 121