Gretchie's Family Tour- African Mende Helmet Mask from Sierra Leone ...

Mende Artist, Sierra Leone, “Helmet Mask”, ca. 1975-1925
Helmet Mask

Wieland Pavilion, Lower Level, African Collection

Welcome to the High’s African Collection.

*Have you ever seen the movie “The Lion King”?

*Do you know the song “The Circle of Life”?

This room is the circle of life in Africa.  The art displayed here starts

at birth and works its way through life.

*Does anyone know about Africa? What it might be like to live there ?

Let us clothes our eyes and tell me what Africa might be like…lets use our senses.

*What does it feel like to live there? Is it hot or cold? Is it dry or wet?

*What does it smell like? Does it smell like grass or flowers?

*What does Africa sound like? Does it sound like trains and planes? Does it sound like animals like Lions and Elephants?

*What are people doing? Dancing, Singing, taking care of children, are they hunting?

Let us imagine we are in a village and people are dancing and singing.

Now let us open our eyes and look at these helmet masks.

*Looking at these do you think they’re helmets? Are they masks?

What do you think they are? They are crowns! Crowns like a Queen or King would place on their heads.

What do you think they’re made of? They are black and shiny they look like maybe metal, but they’re made of wood.

These crowns are carved by the Mende Society in Sierre Leone, Africa. These masks are called “Sowie” and worn by a group of women called The Sande Society. This society teaches young girls how to be good wives and mothers. They represent Mende ideas and feminine beauty.

* The black lustrous surface of the mask

*The Crown on her head

*The ringed neck

*Her beautifully weaved hair

*Their diamond shaped faces

*Did you see the little holes below the neck? The Mende put black long raffia that covers the girls bodies. They place the crowns on their heads and they dance. The interesting thing about these masks is they are only worn by young women.  It only happens in the Sierra Leone region of Africa and makes these Sowie mask helmuts very special.