Mask "geh-naw" · Liberia, Bassa · ID: 3038527
not available anymore
Provenance
Wolfgang Nerlich, Munich, GermanyHermann Sommerhage, Duisburg, Germany
Size
H: 19,5 cm
H: 7.7 inch
Description
wood, spotty brown patina, coiffure arranged in parallel lobes, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, small missing parts, base;
the mask type “geh-naw” belongs to a secret society called “chu-den-zo”. It used to entertain the audience when the initiated boys returned from the bush camp or when distinguished guests came to visit the village. The dancer wore the mask on the forehead, looking through a gap within the cloth, veiling his head and the upper part of his body.