fair trade africa

A majestic zebra mask hangs from the wall, crafted of sese wood and embossed aluminum with a beautiful russet finish. Ghanaian artisan Victoria Agyepomaa designs this mask, finding inspiration in the richness of African wildlife.

Bright colors distinguish this jovial personage, immortalized as a mask. Designed by Rita Addo Zakour, the piece is carved by hand from native sese wood and richly embellished with embossed aluminum. Its style comes from the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, and it is used for entertainment and making people laugh.

Representing a nature spirit among the Bwa tribe of Burkina Faso, this elegant mask takes the shape of a butterfly. However, art historian Christopher D. Roy reports that elders of the Kambi clan in Dossi refer to these long-nosed butterfly masks as hawks or vultures. "This mask is used by males of the Bwa tribe during the harvesting of grains," says master wood carver Salihu Ibrahim. The red color comes from stones, ground and mixed with glue. Clay gives it yellow shading, and the black accents are created with charcoal. A loop on the back of the mask allows it to be easily displayed on a wall.