175. Bundu mask. Sande Society, Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia). 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood, cloth, and fiber.
Form
Idealized female beauty, both physically and morally
Elaborate hairstyle symbolizes wealth; worn by women of status
High forehead indicates wisdom
Small eyes in the shape of slits: she should be demure
Tight-lipped mouth, symbolizing secrets not revealed
Small ears: avoids gossip
Rings around the neck symbolize concentric waves from which the water spirit, Sowei, breaks through the surface; also symbolizes the fat associated with a pregnant body
Small horizontal features
Function
Used for initiation rites to adulthood
Used by the elder women of the Sande society, a group of women who prepare girls for adulthood and their role in society
Mask rests on woman’s head; head is not placed inside the mask
Mask is coated with palm oil for a lustrous effect; it has a shiny black surface
Black color symbolizes water, coolness, and humanity
Context
Only African wooden masks that are worn by women
Costumed by women wear a black gown made of raffia that hides the body
Costumed as a Sowei, the female water spirit
Female ancestor spirits
Symbolic of the chrysalis of a butterfly; young women entering puberty
