First Male Twin Tribal Hand Carved Wood Mask, "Atsu"

According to the customs of the Ewe people of Ghana and Togo, the first male twin to be born must be named Atsu. And, out of fear that death will take the newborn, his face is marked in the belief that it will scare off death. Worlasi Agbalenyo hand-carves this original sese wood mask of an adult Atsu featuring a jute beard. The mask's rugged textures are obtained with sand.