ka-Bemba mask, likely to date from the turn of the twentieth century. These masks have been associated with Temne speaking groups in Sierra Leone by Bill Hart, though records suggest this example comes from Liberia. The mask itself is made from a light wood, adorned with a series of brass strips running vertically and horizontally, attached by small nails. These strips would originally have been shiny polished brass, giving the mask a striking appearance. It has a square protruding forehead and pointed chin. The nose is covered in a sheet of metal with two bored eye holes on either side. The mouth is surrounded by a serrated strip, and a strip running across the forehead has a zig-zag punched design, as well as a two-lined punched border running along the top.
The mask bears the characteristic horns which are common across all the ka-Bemba masks. There are a set of holes along the entire edge of the mask for attaching raffia.
mask (dance & live theatre)
Collection Information
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