Masque casque avec franges végétales
Description
wood, silver sheet, base
These helmet masks are worn by the highest-ranking members of the female “sande” or (“bundu”) society, which is responsible for the education and initiation of girls.
At the final initiation ceremonies, which are held during the dry season, the newly initiated are led through the city by a masked figure called “ndoli jowei” (“the sowei who dances”). This masked figure is believed to embody the guardian spirit of the “sande”.
The “sande” is an important link between different ethnic groups in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The female helmet masks are found among others among the Gola, Loma, Vai, Temne, Bullom, etc. Ethnologists trace the origin of the “sande” back to the Mende. The structure of the bush camps for girls is similar to the “gree-gree” camp of the Vai.