COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
BCM_.75.36.31
amicoid
BCM_.75.36.31
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2003
aly
2003
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Costume and Jewelry
oty
Costume and Jewelry
Object Type
false
Description:
Light wood helmet mask covered with black pigment; stylized, diamond-shape female face with features compressed in lower portion below high, rounded forehead; very small, closed slit mouth, oval eyes with viewing slits, and small straight nose; small, flat, semi-circular ears at center sides; three thick neck rings around back of head from ear to ear; elaborate coiffure of high central crest between pairs of lower crests; side coiffure carved in front to back rows of square and rectangular plaiting above rows of cowrie shells; rows of plaiting across back of head; holes around bottom edge for costume attachment; hole in center of top crest may have held added ornamentation.
opd
Light wood helmet mask covered with black pigment; stylized, diamond-shape female face with features compressed in lower portion below high, rounded forehead; very small, closed slit mouth, oval eyes with viewing slits, and small straight nose; small, flat, semi-circular ears at center sides; three thick neck rings around back of head from ear to ear; elaborate coiffure of high central crest between pairs of lower crests; side coiffure carved in front to back rows of square and rectangular plaiting above rows of cowrie shells; rows of plaiting across back of head; holes around bottom edge for costume attachment; hole in center of top crest may have held added ornamentation.
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
African
crc
African
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Mende, Sierra Leone
crt
Mende, Sierra Leone
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Helmet Mask (Sowo)
otn
Helmet Mask (Sowo)
Title
false
View:
Side view
rid
Side view
View
false
Creation Date:
20th century
oct
20th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
1900
ocs
1900
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
1975
oce
1975
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Wood, pigment
omd
Wood, pigment
Materials and Techniques
false
Classification Term:
Masks
clt
Masks
Classification Term
false
Creation Place:
Sierra Leone, Africa
ocp
Sierra Leone, Africa
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
Height: 13 5/8"; width: 8 7/8"
met
Height: 13 5/8"; width: 8 7/8"
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
Brooklyn Children's Museum
oon
Brooklyn Children's Museum
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
Brooklyn, New York, USA
oop
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
75.36.31
ooa
75.36.31
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Gift of Dr. Herbert S. Zim, 1975
ooc
Gift of Dr. Herbert S. Zim, 1975
Credit Line
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.amico.org/rights/bcm_.html"target="_new">http://www.amico.org/rights/bcm_.html</a>
Rights
false
Context:
Two Mende secret societies regulate each community or village: Poro for men, Sande for women. The Sowo mask is worn by women of the secret Sande Society during and after the initiation rites when girls are introduced to womanhood. Sowo is a dancing spirit from the water comprised of an all black helmet and full-length fiber robe. The masks also perform at lesser civic and social functions. All Mende women must belong to Sande in order to function in Mende society. It is a regulatory group that guards and transmits feminine ideals and responsibilities while girls are secluded in the Bundu, the initiation house in the bush. There the girls are circumcised, taught ideals of beauty (a fundamental Mende concern), domestic skills, marriage responsibilities, medicine, history, and dancing. Sowo influences every aspect of a woman's life. Sowei are high ranking Sande leaders esteemed in the community as healers, judges, priestesses, and educators. Other women are Sowololimo, expert dancers who teach and perform.
Sowo masks are usually of bombax wood patinated with shiny black paint, shoe polish or oil. The masks are also worn by the Temne, Vai, Gala and other peoples in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Sowo masks are usually of bombax wood patinated with shiny black paint, shoe polish or oil. The masks are also worn by the Temne, Vai, Gala and other peoples in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
cxd
Two Mende secret societies regulate each community or village: Poro for men, Sande for women. The Sowo mask is worn by women of the secret Sande Society during and after the initiation rites when girls are introduced to womanhood. Sowo is a dancing spirit from the water comprised of an all black helmet and full-length fiber robe. The masks also perform at lesser civic and social functions. All Mende women must belong to Sande in order to function in Mende society. It is a regulatory group that guards and transmits feminine ideals and responsibilities while girls are secluded in the Bundu, the initiation house in the bush. There the girls are circumcised, taught ideals of beauty (a fundamental Mende concern), domestic skills, marriage responsibilities, medicine, history, and dancing. Sowo influences every aspect of a woman's life. Sowei are high ranking Sande leaders esteemed in the community as healers, judges, priestesses, and educators. Other women are Sowololimo, expert dancers who teach and perform.<br><br>Sowo masks are usually of bombax wood patinated with shiny black paint, shoe polish or oil. The masks are also worn by the Temne, Vai, Gala and other peoples in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Context
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
BCM_.75-36-31-2.tif
ril
BCM_.75-36-31-2.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false