We (Gere, Guere, Guere Wobe, Wee), Liberia and Côte dIvoire
Bugle face mask.
The We
live in the southwest of the forested Côte dIvoire and the southeast of Liberia. They are in fact two separate tribes the Guere
(also known as Ngere) and the Wobe although they share numerous customs and
beliefs. As symbols of societal beliefs and values, their masks reinforce respect for the
rules and functioning of society. The most striking feature of the We masks is often a
combination of diverse materials that lends these masks tremendous expressive force. This
mask represents a male forest spirit. Formerly, bugle masks carried out important
social control functions, including judicial decisions, law enforcement, criminal
punishment, fine collection, and dispute settlement. Their aggressive, lively performance
was intended to instruct in proper behavior, although in recent decades this punitive
power has declined.
Material:
wood, textile, animal hair, raffia, feathers
Size:
16x 11½x 5