Helmet Mask ‘Ndoli Jowei’

Mende, Sierra Leone

Late 19th - Early 20th century

Wood, Pigments

40cm Tall

Provenance:

Dennis Widman, San Jose

Mende masks are among the most iconic works of African art, both for their unique aesthetics and the fact they are some of the only masks in sub-Saharan Africa worn by women. According to legend, the primordial example was found deep in the jungle and brought back to a village to be copied and used as a ritual conduit within all-women's secret societies. The helmet form envelops the dancers head entirely, and a fiber and cloth costume would have been attached to obscure and conceal the human features of the dancer. When worn, the ‘Ndoli Jowei’ becomes the physical manifestation of wild natural spirits. Each mask has a name, being individual to the personality of the spirit it represents. These personalities can range from serene and regal to eccentric and unpredictable. The features of the mask are carved to accentuate the most important aesthetic components of Mende beauty. The fat rolls on the neck represent the health of the women portrayed, and the small face with a happy expression and closed conveys the peace and knowledge of the depicted subject. Scarification accentuates the cheeks, and an elaborate coiffure frames the face. A multiplicity of horns conveys both a sense of power and function, with the large central horn perhaps representing a musical instrument and the smaller horns representing medicinal containers made of Duiker horn sheaths.