wood craft

A comb centers the headdress of this beautiful African mask, and the personage wears large earrings. Hand carved and painted, the sese wood image is crafted by Ghana's Salihu Ibrahim. It represents the Fulani people who have settled in Mali. Although thought to have West African origins, the Fula are also present throughout Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa. "We Africans tend to adopt certain cultural practices that we believe are good ones, and customs are also shared through inter-cultural marriage," Ibrahim explains. "Among Mali-dwelling Fulani, such masks are given to a woman as a marriage proposal. She responds by giving a Senufo monkey mask to her suitor as a sign of acceptance."

The Senufo peoples of Mali and Cote d'Ivoire are agricultural, prizing farming skills above all others. Sinclair Yao Daley presents this hand-carved wood mask, representing the kind of mask that might be made in a poro or traditional Senufo school for young men. Such a mask would be used in coming-of-age rituals.

Ghanaian master carver Christopher Nyasafo faithfully replicates the beautiful artistry of the Senufo people with this replica mask. Carved by hand featuring a bird on the crown looking down, this ceremonial mask from the Senufo people of Ivory Coast and Mali is associated with their Poro society to which the adult men belong to. Their purpose is to maintain a community of religious and historical traditions.

Shaped like a leaf, this mask is covered with beautifully hand embossed aluminum. Yellow surrounds the watchful eyes and eloquent mouth. Named Boka – a Hausa word meaning "Spiritualist" – the mask is crafted by Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. "These are used by the Kidul tribes of Mali at the beginning of the farming season to consult with the gods and ask their blessings on the land. This will enable a good harvest," he explains.

A monkey centers the headdress of this beautiful African mask, and the personage wears large earrings. Hand carved and painted, the sese wood image is crafted by Ghana's Salihu Ibrahim. It represents the Fulani people who have settled in Mali. Although believed to have West African origins, the Fula are also present throughout Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa. "We Africans tend to adopt certain cultural practices that we believe are good ones, and customs are also shared through inter-cultural marriage," Ibrahim explains. "Among Mali-dwelling Fulani, comb masks are given to a woman as a marriage proposal. She responds by giving a Senufo monkey mask to her suitor as a sign of acceptance. Because the monkey is known to be a happy animal, this mask reflects her happiness in saying yes."

The Dogon people are one of the many characteristic and distinguished cultural groups found in Mali. Inspired by their art forms, Ghana's Emmanuel Austin Ankude crafts this Dogon mask used for dances. He carves it by hand from local sese wood, using a technique that can take several weeks to complete. The nose and ears are adorned with iron rings.

Perched atop a handsome horned mask, a bird leans down to touch its forehead. Salihu Ibrahim carves the piece by hand in the style of the Senufo people of Mali and the northern Ivory Coast. "This is the shy kalao bird," the artisan explains. "Seeing one is a good omen, as they are symbols of peace."

"Used by the Kidul tribes of Mali when going to war, this mask acts as a spiritual guide and gives a third eye that enables the wearer to see the enemy's hideout," says Ghanaian artisan Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. A star adorns the helmet while a bird rests its beak atop it. Elegant brass repoussé embellishes the cheeks of this dramatic hand crafted mask.