Helmet Mask 'Goli Glin' - Baule People, Ivory Coast - Tribal Art
The Goli Glin mask, representing the Senior male , is aggressively complex and three-dimensional. It has a strong, older nature spirit and takes the form of a bushcow, antelope and crocodile combination. They were painted red, symbolizing blood, danger and aggression. Women and children were not allowed to look at them closely. Worn horizontally over the head, the masquerader performs fast, strenuous but controlled stamping movements under the weight of a heavy raffia costume. When not in use, goli masks are kept in the bush.The mask has been repainted – not unusual for headdresses that were valued and thus used and re-used. It retains a good patina and fair condition. Picasso had a similar mask in his collection, which was supposedly the model for the zoomorphic head of the ‘Guernica’. The Baule are one of the Akan peoples. They moved west to the Ivory Coast more than 200 years ago and adapted masking traditions from their neighbors, the Guro, Senufo and Yaure peoples. There are four basic types used in a special dance of rejoicing called Goli, a recent import from the Wan ethnic group ,believed to come into use among the Baule after 1910. Goli is a day long celebration usually performed during the funeral of high ranking and respected community members. Sources point to the Goli dance providing not only entertainment but also protection for the village in which it is performed. Baule goli performances consist of four red/black, male/female dance mask pairs appearing in a pre-defined order. The masks appear in the following social order:First, a pair of disk masks called kple kple (the junior male; representing youth and weakness),Second, a pair of animal helmet masks called goli glin (the 'father' or ancestors; representing strength, amwim bush spirits and forest buffalo),Third, a pair of horned masks called kpan pre (the junior female; representing girls),Fourth, two human-faced masks with crested coiffure called kpwan (the senior female, representing goli glin's wife, the ideal woman).
Dimensions approx. 66x34x34 cm
Tribal Art / African Art
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