Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Mama Mangam Mask 1599 - For African Art Gallery

Mama Mangam Mask 1599 - For African Art Gallery
The Mama people of northern Nigeria in the Benue River Vallery create Mangam head crests like this which represent a bush cow with open extended mouth and sculpted horns that extend upwards in a continuous single line to be joined at their ends.

When worn it is carried on the top of the dancer's head who is surrounded with a ruff of grasses extending from the bottom of the mask that hides the dancer.
Mangam masks dance during funerals and during the yearly agricultural cycle celebrations.

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