Mask – Wood – Toma – Guinea

Powerful Toma mask from Guinea. These brooding, often quite large, masks represent a forest spirit, Landai. They were used by the men’s Poro Society to initiate boys into manhood. The masks, in what was often a frightening ritual for the boys, would symbolically swallow the boy, who would then re-emerge as a man. The masks were worn with a large raffia costume. Most have a flat face, the traditional beaked nose, jaws of teeth, protruding brow and horns.
The mask is in good condtion with a nbeautiful aged patina.

Provenance: former private collection from the Netherlands
Object: Mask

Ethnic group/ culture: Toma

Region/ country: Guinea

Material: Wood

Period: Mid 20th century