Grassland, Cameroon

N’kang ceremonial mask. The Grassland region, in south-west Cameroon, is a hilly and mountainous area divided into 90 small independent kingdoms and chiefdoms, whose powers are counterbalanced by male and female societies. The artistic production of the people living in this region is closely associated with royal and societal ceremonies. The masks are usually worn during state ceremonies such as the funeral of an important dignitary, or during annual festivities. During these ceremonies, the leading dancer wears a N’kang mask which bears a false beard, a coiffure split in two symmetrical parts. The N’kang mask is followed by other masks representing a woman, a man or an animal. The mask does not cover the face of the wearer but rather tops a kind of bamboo cage surrounded by a tufted collar of palm fibers.

Material:  wood, vegetable fiber

Size:  H. 14”, W. 10 ½”, D. 6”