Mask "deangle"
Description
wood, partly shiny, partly encrusted dark brown patina, a concave facial plane, the bulging forehead separated from the facial plane by a horizontal deepened line, forehead and nose accentuated by a vertical ridge, pierced around the rim, min. dam., missing parts through insect caused damage on the rear, cracks, slight traces of abrasion, base;
“deangle” literally means a “joking and smiling” mask character. The name implies that a friendly and beautiful appearance is described, destined to entertain the people. The “dean” mask characters belong to the circumcision camps (“mbon”) of young boys and girls, which are always situated in the holy forest nearby the village. The camp is protected by the invisible forest ghost “nana”, who appoints the “deangle” mask characters. They act as mediator between camp and village and they are responsible for food and protection of the initiates. They neither sing nor dance and they are not accompanied by musicians, but they joke with the women and ask them to send plenty of food to the camp. The mask figure wears a high tapering conical headdress of red fabric and is dressed with a tippet and abundant grass fibre skirt, holding cows tails as whisks in both hands.