Fang Mask(s)

Fang Mask
Wood, wood polish
Size in cm: (Male) 64 x 15 x 7
(Female) 62 x 15 x 7
Weight: (Male) 150g.
(Female) 200g.

Members of this male society wore the Ngil masks during the initiation of new members and the persecution of wrongdoers aswell as the use of a form of passport for crossing cultural borders. Masqueraders, clad in raffia costumes and attended by helpers, would materialize in the village after dark, illuminated by flickering torchlight. This great rain forest region in the Fang territory is a plateau of middle altitude, with innumerable waters with falls and rapids rendering navigation for the most part impossible, and with a climate typically equatorial. The top mask would be used for woman which is strongly indicated by the certain tattoo patterns across the face whereas the lower/bottom mask would be primarily carved for male members.