Kpwan Mask

It is a female mask that presents all the delicacy of the Baule women's masks. In some villages she is considered the wife of the mask Goli glinIt is therefore an important mask at the Goli ceremony. The Kpwan mask dances, in most places, by couples and together with their partner the Goli glin It refers to adults who have the capacity to found a family. They are combed with a high central loop flanked by two smaller loops. Its wearer wears a raffia dress or dry vegetable fibers that go down to the waist, from where others leave that go up to the feet, also the wrists and ankles are adorned with this same material. Some of these masks are adorned with jewels. Although the female silk mask its wearer is always a man. This beautiful mask is the one named after Alieabo koïra, (“the food burns”) because it is so beautiful that women at the sight of it get admired and forget that they have left the food on the light.

Some authors want to see in the small knob that some of these masks present a trait of hermaphroditism so frequent in the African statuary, we think that it is rather the beard of respect with which many women appear in the ancient statues of Baulé, symbol of respect and dignity.

This mask has the ovoid mouth and eyes, painted with kaolin, also the contour of the hair and the ears are enhanced with kaolin. Black patina.