Zoomorphic face masks such as this one were
called ngblo. They were worn by dancers during
performances in daytime public theatres or
nocturnal funeral ceremonies. This mask
probably belongs to a series of animal-hunting
dramas where unmasked youths mimed the
hunting and eventual killing of the masked
animal dancer, occassionaly bordering on
outright mockery. A dance such as this might
have played a significant role in conjuring the
spirit of the beast, however it was most likely
purely entertainment. The forms of the mask
combine elements of humans and elephants
together. The large disk ears, ribbed curving
trunk, and tiny tusks all conform to the shape of
the human head. The eyes and the arrangement
of the forms are also strictly human. The end of
the trunk is flared open as if in the middle of a
mighty cry. Perhaps this mask had some higher
religious or ritual purpose, but most likely it was
used strictly to entertain the tribe as it continues
to delight us today.
- (PF.5568)
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