Unajua? – West African masks are almost always worn by men in masquerade dances. 

Traditionally, West African masks are only handled by a few people, and put away when not in use. Today a large number of West African masks are in western museums.

This article is about West African masks. You will see some of the famous West African masks and read about the people that made them and the places and times they are from

This article is part of the West African Art series 

Famous West African Masks You Must See

Taarifa 💡

Find information about every West African mask under each image.

Start HERE: Introduction to West African Art

#1 West African Mask

Bundu Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Mende peoples
Date: c. 19-20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Sierra Leone, West Africa
Current location: Musée du quai Branly, France, western Europe

Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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#2 West African Mask

Benin Ivory Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Edo peoples
Date: 16th century
Medium: Ivory, iron
Geography: Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, West Africa
Current location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), USA, North America

Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

#3 West African Mask

Igbo Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Igbo peoples
Medium: Wood, pigment
Geography: Nigeria, West Africa
Current location: The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium, western Europe

Royal Museum for Central Africa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#4 West African Mask

Yoruba Mask (Gelede Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Yoruba peoples
Date: 19th century
Medium: wood
Geography: Nigeria, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Read: 15 Types of Clothing in Medieval Africa Every Time Traveller Should Own

#5 West African Mask

Baule Mask (Mblo Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Baule peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Wood, oils, pigment, ferrous nails
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Name of the Author, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Inside 9 African Traditional Houses & Structures That You Can Actually Visit | Africa house traditional

#6 West African Mask

Baule Mask (Kple Kple Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Baule peoples
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: Castello Sforzesco, Italy, southern Europe

Raccolte Extraeuropee del Castello Sforzesco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#7 West African Mask

Senufo Masks (Kpelie Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Senufo peoples
Medium: Wood
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: The Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium, western Europe

Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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#8 West African Mask

Senufo Firespitter Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Senufo peoples
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Ivory Coast, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#9 West African Mask

Dan Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Dan peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Wood, pigment
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

15 Types of Clothing in Medieval Africa Every Time Traveller Should Own

#10 West African Mask

Kanaga Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Dogon peoples
Medium: Wood, fiber, metal, leather
Geography: Mali, West Africa
Current location: Institut d'ethnologie Université de Strasbourg, France, western Europe

Name of the Author, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3 Popular Types Of West African Sculptures For You To Identify On Your Next Visit To The Museum

#11 West African Mask

Bwa Mask (Plank Mask / Nwantantay)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Bwa peoples
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood, pigments
Geography: Village of Boni, Burkina Faso, West Africa
Current location: Birmingham Museum of Art, USA, North America

Sean Pathasema/Birmingham Museum of Art, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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#12 West African Mask

Guro Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Guro peoples
Date: 19th century
Medium: Wood, pigment
Geography: Marahoué Region, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#13 West African Mask

Bambara Mask (Ntomo Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Bambara peoples
Medium: Wood
Geography: Mali, West Africa

Roman Bonnefoy/ Romanceor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#14 West African Mask

Bambara Mask (Komo Society Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Bambara peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Wood, metal, antelope horns, porcupine quills, organic materials
Geography: Ségou, Koulikouro, or Sikasso Region, Mali, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

#15 West African Mask

Ligbi Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Ligbi peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#16 West African Mask

Yohure Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Yohure people
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa
Current location: Castello Sforzesco, Italy, southern Europe

Raccolte Extraeuropee del Castello Sforzesco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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#17 West African Mask

Mossi Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Mossi peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Wood, paint, resinous material
Geography: Burkina Faso, West Africa
Current location: Brooklyn Museum, USA, North America

Brooklyn Museum, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3 Popular Types Of West African Sculptures For You To Identify On Your Next Visit To The Museum

#18 West African Mask

D’mba Mask (Shoulder Mask)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Baga peoples
Date: 19th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Guinea, West Africa
Current location: Musée du Louvre, France, western Europe

Louvre Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

#19 West African Mask

Ebira Mask (Ekuecici)

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Ebira peoples
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood
Geography: Nigeria, West Africa
Current location: Private collection, (appeared in: Nigeria. Arts de la vallée de la Bénoué at the Musée du quai Branly) France, western Europe

Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#20 West African Mask

Diola Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Diola peoples
Date: 19-20th century
Medium: Ox horns, abrus precatorius seeds, cowrie shells, Western-made buttons and basketry
Geography: Senegal, The Gambia or Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Current location: Musée d'Angoulême, France, western Europe

Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#21 West African Mask

Angbai Mask

Taarifa 💡

Culture: Loma people
Date: 20th century
Medium: Wood, fur
Geography: Guinea, West Africa
Current location: Musée du quai Branly, France, western Europe

Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

>> Inside 9 African Traditional Houses & Structures That You Can Actually Visit <<

 

SPOT THE BWA MASKS 👀

What masks have come from the place you are in?

Wisdom is like a baobab tree, no one individual can embrace it.

~ African Proverb ~

Word Bank📚🧑🏿‍🏫

Abrus precatorius seeds

Read More 🙂

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe from the African Writers Series!

References

Image of Bwa Masks: Christopher D. Roy at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mblo Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/116654. 

Dan Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4851.  

Kanaga

“Masque Kanaga – Institut d’Ethnologie – Université de Strasbourg.” Unistra.fr, 2024, ethnologie.unistra.fr/collection/objets-3d-interactifs/masque-kanaga/.   

Bwa Mask

“Circle the Globe Highlights Tour.” Birmingham Museum of Art |, 17 Sept. 2024, www.artsbma.org/event/circle-the-globe-highlights-tour-8/. 

Guro Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/2923. 

Komo Society Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Www.brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4810. 

Ligbi Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/100712. 

Mossi Mask

“Brooklyn Museum.” Brooklynmuseum.org, 2024, www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/100305.  

 

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