Gonde Mask

This is likely to be a Gonde mask. The gonde is an entertainment masker that appears together with the dignified ndoli jowei, or dancing Sowei, of the Sande society. It offers a parody of the latter by its own dishevelled appearance and undignified behaviour. The mask is often an old Sowei mask that is too decayed or damaged to be used for its original purpose, which seems likely in this case where a hole has been bored into the right eye.

Further Information

  • Type: Masks, headdresses
  • Object: Gonde Mask
  • Materials: Wood
  • Culture Group: Other
  • Dimensions: 381mm [H]
  • Production Date: Pre 1988
  • Associated Places: Unknown
  • Associated People: Mr. Vandi Koroma, Pujehun District. (Trader)
  • Museum: Sierra Leone National Museum
  • Accession Number: SLNM.1988.01.02

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