Sowei masks
E581901
Sowei masks are elaborately carved wooden helmet masks used by Mende women’s Sande societies in West Africa during initiation and ceremonial rites, symbolizing ideals of feminine beauty, wisdom, and spiritual power.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Sowei mask | 0 |
Statements (53)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
African art object
ⓘ
cultural heritage object ⓘ helmet mask ⓘ ritual mask ⓘ |
| aestheticIdeal |
composure
ⓘ
health ⓘ inner beauty ⓘ modesty ⓘ prosperity ⓘ |
| associatedWith |
Guinea
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Liberia NERFINISHED ⓘ Sierra Leone NERFINISHED ⓘ West Africa NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| collectedBy | Western museums ⓘ |
| covers | entire head ⓘ |
| culturallyRestrictedTo | women ⓘ |
| decoratedWith |
pigment
ⓘ
raffia fiber ⓘ textiles ⓘ |
| hasPart |
crown-like hair arrangement
ⓘ
downcast eyes ⓘ ear-like projections ⓘ elaborate coiffure ⓘ facial scarification ⓘ high forehead ⓘ ringed neck ⓘ slit eyes ⓘ small mouth ⓘ |
| madeOf | wood ⓘ |
| performedIn |
Sande initiation ceremonies
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
public masquerades ⓘ |
| performedWith | costume of raffia and cloth ⓘ |
| roleInSociety |
embodies Sande spirit
ⓘ
mediates between spirit world and community ⓘ |
| studiedIn |
African art history
ⓘ
anthropology ⓘ |
| surfaceTreatment |
blackened
ⓘ
polished ⓘ |
| symbolizes |
female adulthood
ⓘ
feminine beauty ⓘ fertility ⓘ moral virtue ⓘ spiritual power ⓘ wisdom ⓘ |
| usedBy |
Bundu society
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Mende people NERFINISHED ⓘ Sande society NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| usedInRitual |
ceremonial dances
ⓘ
female initiation rites ⓘ puberty rites ⓘ |
| wornBy |
Sowei
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
senior Sande woman ⓘ |
| wornOn | head ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.