Helmet mask "ndoli jowei" · Sierra Leone, Mende · ID: 3049458
Description
wood, three-part, handwritten inventory no. “34/74/v. P.”
The life of the Mende is regulated by a number of initiation societies. The most important are the “poro” society of men and the “sande” society of women. The main aim of the “sande” is to prepare girls for marriage and motherhood.
At the final initiation ceremonies, the newly initiated are led through the village by a masked figure called “ndoli jowei” (“the sowei who dances”). This masked figure is believed to embody the guardian spirit of the “sande”- society, called “ngafa”.
The object Helmet mask “ndoli jowei” with the object ID 3049458 was last part of the auction 99th Auction at November 12, 2022 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 40 achieved a sales price of EUR 850.
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Publications
Expo cat.: "Afrikanische Kunst, Sammlung Robert Lewitzki", Bomann-Museum (Hg.), Celle 2012, p. 28
AHDRC: 0150705
Exhibition
Celler Schloß, Gotische Halle: "Afrikanische Kunst, Sammlung Robert Lewitzki", 10. Juli - 31 August 2012