Elephant mask, Kuosi secret society - Bamileke - Cameroon

Bamiléké Culture, Cameroon.
Fabric, pearls, and plant fibers.
140cm * 66cm
Sold without stand.

Mask hood made of fabric lined with fibers, where the long front flap resembles the elephant's trunk and the side squares resemble its large ears.

It is decorated with pearl embroidery in a geometric pattern, and the bird placed at the top of the mask represents a messenger between the world of the living and that of the ancestors.

This type of mask was used during important ceremonies such as royal funerals and secret society Kuosi festivals.

Due to its rich beaded ornamentation, its large size, and the bird perched on the headdress, this mask is a unique and rare testament to royalty and wealth, of high quality.