King Paris Congolese American, b. 1988
Wande Mask, 2025
Resin, archival finish
14 x 10 x 11 in
35.6 x 25.4 x 27.9 cm
35.6 x 25.4 x 27.9 cm
Origin - Mende, Sierra Leon Wande or Mende Sowei masks were used by the female-led society for women's initiation rituals, teaching girls about their adult roles as wives and mothers,...
Origin - Mende, Sierra Leon
Wande or Mende Sowei masks were used by the female-led society for women's initiation rituals, teaching girls about their adult roles as wives and mothers, while Wande masks, a similar term sometimes used for Mende or related ethnic groups, were also used in the Sande society for education and acculturation. The masks themselves, worn with a fiber costume, depict idealized female beauty and represent the spiritual power and authority of the Sande society and its leaders.
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