Mask - Yaouré / Ivory Coast

The Yowlè (or Yaouré) are an ethnic group from Côte d'Ivoire. This population lives mainly in the center of the country between the white Bandama and the red Bandama. Their number has greatly declined in the region since the French colonial era, so some ethnologists and anthropologists estimate their population at between 20,000 and 40,000 individuals. Surmounted by a male statuette maintained by prominent horns evoking a gazelle, this mask sports a hairstyle divided into three associated with material well-being. Geographically close to the Baoulé and the Gouros, we feel in Yaouré art the influence of these ethnic groups through attention to detail and aesthetics. Masks like this are "Lo", generally with a dark patina, which occur during funeral ceremonies or any other rite in order to obtain the favors of the spirits. Worn during major ceremonies and rituals incorporating dances, these masks, often invested with mystical forces capable of calming the spirits of the deceased, but also of mobilizing their wisdom in the service of the community. They can also have a political or social role.