Mask - Dan / Liberia

This mask comes from the Dan culture of Ivory Coast. Also called the Yacouba, the Dan live in the west of the Ivory Coast and in the east of Liberia, in a wooded region. This culture is organized around secret societies which govern the daily life of the villages. Dan mask productions are generally associated with racing. Particularly recognizable, these racing masks have a particularly recognizable aesthetic due to their pointed face and fine features, their hollowed round eyes as well as this typical mouth, sculpted in a diamond shape. This Dan Yacouba racing mask embodies a feminine spirit of the bush. We will highlight the presence of 5 small horns twisting on itself at the top of the forehead, highlighting the finesse of execution demonstrated by the craftsman Held against the face using strips of fabric fixed to the perforations of the contours, tradition had its wearer chased by an unmasked runner; if caught, he must pass the mask to the winner, who in turn will be pursued. Initially training for men in running and fighting, this kind of event is now attached to the festivities linked to the agricultural seasons but also to the initiation of young children.