"gunye Ge" Race Mask - Northern Ivory Coast - First Half Of The 20th Century

"Gunye Ge" Race Mask
Dan culture, Northern Ivory Coast
First half of the 20th century
Wood, vegetable fibres and pigments
Height: 21 cm, length: 12 cm, thickness: 6 cm

Anthropomorphic facial mask with circular eyes, enhanced by arched scarification marks on the cheeks and forehead. The forehead is slightly rounded, the half-open mouth has geometrically hemmed lips, the fine nose ends in two half-moon shaped nostrils and the fine chin is decorated with a beard made of braided plant fibres. 
The top of the forehead bears traces of applied vegetable gum. 
The entire circumference of the mask is pierced. 

Gunye Ge" masks function as title awards during running competitions. In the dry season, these weekly events brought together masked and unmasked runners. The unmasked runner would precede another masked runner who would catch up. If he managed to finish the race without being caught, he won the mask and had to chase an unmasked runner. Conversely, if he was caught and shot in the back and neck by the masked runner, the latter retained his title. 

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

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