Helmet Mask - Mende / Sierra Leone

The characteristic face of this style of productions is typical of Mende helm masks. The face is concentrated in the lower part, while a sophisticated headdress, in shells, rising upwards. Note the slit shape of the eyes, extending from either side of a short, straight nose, above a small, half-open mouth. The ringed neck is a sign of opulence, beauty but also prosperity. Painted black or tinted with a leaf wash, the mask was then rubbed with palm oil. The Mende, Vai and Gola cultures of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea are known for their helmet masks from the Sandé female initiation society which prepares young girls for marriage. Rather rare, the men make the masks and the women wear them.