CC0 · no rights reserved
Helmet mask
From the collection of National Museum of African Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Sowei masks, unlike most African masks, are actually worn by women. They epitomize Mende ideals of feminine beauty and related moral values. The elaborate hairstyle is a sign that the woman is a good person whose close friends helped adorn her. The neck rings represent either rings admired as marks of beauty or ripples of water--the disturbance created when the Sande leader draws Sowei from her water home. The pith helmet and guns relate it to hunting and perhaps suggest the protective aspect of Sowei.
National Museum of African Art’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineHelmet mask. Mid-20th century. Mende artist. National Museum of African Art, Gift of Harry and Freda Schaeffer. CC0.
