painted

A bird poses on the forehead of this imposing mask by Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. He names it Sahafi, a Hausa word meaning "spiritual protection." Strong African rubberwood contours are carved and painted by hand, while applications of white clay give the piece a vintage appearance. "The mask is used by the Hausa people of Mali," Mohamadu explains. "It is used when their crops bear fruit. It is believed that the mask drives away birds that come to destroy their crops."

Sefah Mohammed replicates the unique artistry of the Sanga people with this handsome mask. Sanga (or Sangha) is a group of thirteen villages in the Dogon region of Mali, known as a religious center with many temples and shrines, and is a base for visitors to the local Dogon villages. They bring this mask as a gift to the elite members of the community to show appreciation for their help. Mohammed carves this piece from sese wood and decorates it with clay and painted motifs to achieve an antique illusion.

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."

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."