Helmet mask for woman's secret society
Mende; Sierra Leone/Liberia, Freetown
Collected by William R. Bascom, before 1948
5-16500
These distinctive masks were used for the Bundo (or Sande) society, a female secret society of the Guinea coast. For several years, young girls were isolated and taught the ways of adult women. The masks were worn during initiations by a mature woman representing the leading spirit of the society. Many features of the mask are symbolic. Among some groups, the concentric bands at the base resemble the ridges of a black moth chrysalis, invoking the girls' transformation into women. They also refer to the mask's origin, seen as ripples of water created by the leader as she arose from water, the dwelling place of female spirits. The leader comes out with beautiful clothing and elaborately braided hair, also represented on the masks. The glossy black is the color of the mud on the river bottom, and the poised expression reveals the wisdom, grace, and self-control that the young girls learn.
(Photograph 2 of 4)
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