Zoomorphic dance crest "suah dua"
Description
wood, colour pigments, plant fibre, missing part (eye), base
These masks are associated with a fertility cult and perform twice a year in “suaga” agricultural rites, which take place at the time of planting of crops and harvesting.
The mask type is known for the fact that it unites different animal species in itself, which results in a grotesque appearance. There are characteristics of dog, crow, owl as well as a horn-bearing animal. They are always painted in the traditional colours of the Mambila with red, white and black pigment.
Schwartz distinguishes in her treatise on the Mambila between masks of the first rank, the helmet masks “suah bvur” and masks of the second rank, the “suah dua”, which rest atop the head, just as the present example.