We (Gere, Guere, Guere Wobe, Wee), Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire

Ceremonial mask.  The We live in the forest in the southwest of the Côte d’Ivoire and the southeast of Liberia. They have gained a great reputation as healers due to their knowledge of plants. The We have a culture related to that of the Dan. Among the We people, masks are not controlled by a man’s association, but instead are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, boy’s circumcision camps, and entertainment. In the precolonial period, however, powerful village chiefs controlled masks and used them to facilitate diplomacy between disputing clans and villages. This mask presents influences of the Dan culture. Each We mask was designed for a precise purpose. In the absence of the costume, however, it is even more difficult to be certain of the mask’s true function.

Materials:  wood, textile

Size:  H. 11 ½”, W. 8”, D. 3”

Price: $160 + $39 (S&H)                        [#E5W9M297]