Nyabwa. Bete. Wybrzeże Kości Słoniowej. XX wiek.

The ethnic boundaries between the peoples and tribes inhabiting the Ivory Coast are not sharply defined. At least in the south of the country, where the Gere, Ngere, We, Wobe, Dan, and Bete tribes lived, all similarly organized, divided into clans, whose beliefs and cultures intermingled. That is why today, in literature devoted to African art, one can find the same mask attributed to different tribes. In my description, I chose the Bete tribe because it appeared most often in its descriptions.

There is a whole group of masks from the south of Ivory Coast that share common features. First of all, they are disturbing. They have severe deformities, protruding parts resembling fangs, convex foreheads, and open mouths revealing teeth. They are derived from ancient war masks, which were intended to frighten and intimidate the enemy. Before battle, in ritual dances, they were used to invoke the deity Gre, a force of destruction, evil, and terror in its purest form. These masks were decorated with shells, animal hair, nails, and painted in contrasting colors. The one I am offering also has traces of metal round bumps.

I think the mask is old. It was probably part of a collection that was once assembled. It is in relatively good condition with minor wood losses. It is a pity that these additional decorations are missing. It is 25 cm high and 17 cm wide. It is deep - 12 cm.