black earrings

Hand-carved from sese wood, this oval African mask is designed by Ghanaian artisan Enoch Adjei. He paints it black with yellow accents and white dots across the face. Earrings of recycled glass and cotton complete this mask. Adjei names it "Obenewaa," an Akan name for a friendly woman.

Ghanaian artisan Ali Mohammed names this mask nhyira, from the Akan word for "blessings." Hand-carved from sese wood, this smiling mask is then painted black and given an aged finish. Bright red tassel earrings dangle at the sides and hints of blue and red decorate the cheerful face's headdress.

Hand-carved from sese wood, this oval African mask is designed by Ghanaian artisan Enoch Adjei. He paints it black with a yellow X across the face, accentuated by white dots at the forehead and a red color at the eyes. Earrings of recycled glass and cotton complete this mask. Adjei names it Nyame Bekyere, meaning "God will provide" in Akan.

Beautifully mysterious and enigmatic, this replica of the forest spirit mask bears the artistry of the Bantu people. They live in several communities that spread from Africa's Great Lakes region all the way down to South Africa. To the Bantu, masks with off-white faces represent the spirits of their ancestors and were often worn by dancers on stilts during funeral rituals. Working with sese wood, Ghana's Christopher Nyasafo faithfully replicates the mask in off-white, red and black featuring stone and cotton twine earrings. A second smaller face wears recycled glass earrings.

A beautiful young woman ties up her hair with kente cloth and flaunts colorful beaded earrings. By Winfred Korley, this lovely African mask is his own design. Carved by hand, it is named Awula Yo, "Lady" in the Ga language.

With wide ears alert, an elephant rises tall above this mask by Salihu Ibrahim. The long, strong trunk reaches downward to explore this proud personage. Salihu Ibrahim finds an exquisite balance in the wide shoulders and elongated earrings, demonstrating his refined aesthetic. Hand-carved of African sese wood, the mask comes from the Guro tribe from Cote d'Ivoire; the elephant symbolizes strength.