Ebonised Mende Sowei Helmet Mask

The sowei mask is one of the most important and recognizable symbols in the ceremonies of the Mende people. This mask possesses the typical features of a sowei mask: the neck rings, delicate features, high forehead, and intricate hairdo. 

Since the mask is worn as helmet, it is light and comfortable when resting on the dancer’s shoulders.

Bundu (or Sande), a women's association, is almost unique in Africa in that it controls the use of these masks, which embody Sowo, their guardian spirit. The masks usually include an elaborate hairstyle and attempt to represent serene feminine beauty, with high foreheads, small, compressed facial features, and voluminous neck-rings, depicting the desirable full-figured woman.

Date: 20th Century
Origin: Mende people, Moyamba district 
Country: Sierra Leone
Material: Ebonised Wood

Dimension: 36cm high by 22cm

Condition:

Expected surface wear with scuffs and abrasions commensurate with age and use. The wood has developed a warm ebonised patina resulting from age and use.