Description

This “War & Peace” face mask was constructed by the Bete People of Takum, the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is an extremely rare object that features two pairs of human hands reaching around the face with thumbs pointing down, thus exposing the palms of the hands to the viewer. The empty palms are intended as a gesture of peace, and utilized in ceremonies to ritually end conflict between villages. The mask depicts a superhero who can accomplish such a task. The process of stylizing and preserving the form of such objects requires a deep knowledge of craft as transmitted via oral tradition through centuries.