Wai (We) warrior mask, Douekoué region, Ivory Coast, incl stand. This Wè (We, formerly referred to in many sources as Guéré) mask, representing peoples settled in western Ivory Coast and neighboring regions of Liberia, features a deliberately expressive and composite facial design characteristic of certain mask traditions in this cultural area. Carved from thick wood with a deep patina, it features a strongly projected facial structure: the eyes consist of heavy horizontal eyelids pierced by narrow slits, the nose forms a powerful triangular ridge, while several rounded protrusions stand out on the cheeks and the sides of the nose. The mouth, wide open, is dominated by massive lips and reveals a row of small teeth or attached elements, accentuating the mask’s imposing appearance. The surface alternates between a black, brownish patina and lighter areas, clearly enriched by materials applied over the course of its history. Around the forehead and chin, a substantial adornment remains, combining plant fibers, feathers, seashells, cords, red textile fragments, and small colored elements; the numerous holes visible along the edges of the mask also bear witness to the former system for attaching a headdress and costume, which are now only partially preserved. In Wè traditions, the mask has historically been just one element of a performative ensemble comprising headdress, costume, dancer, music, and choreography, and certain forms with deliberately menacing features belonged to categories entrusted with functions of social control, justice, protection, or the oversight of major community ceremonies. So-called “warrior” masks, in particular, specifically seek to create an unsettling appearance through the combination of human and animal features and attached materials, with their visual power contributing to the authority of their public display. The presence of exaggerated facial features, an aggressively open mouth, organic materials, and an elaborate headdress allows for a connection to this aesthetic of power. "Modern ethnology puts the Wobe and Guere together under the name We, despite the fact that the people themselves use the old names. The We population is estimated at 100,000. Rice, yams, taro, manioc, maize, and bananas are the primary crops grown. Farming and hunting have been largely replaced by laboring in the diamond camps or working at the rubber plantations. Confederations govern both ethnic groups -- the largest is the warrior confederation which is led by a military chief, who also acts as a civil authority. The family units also play an important role in We social life. The art of Guere and Wobe people is stylistically connected and both groups are often collectively referred to as We, meaning "men who easily forgive." Like the Dan, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, boy’s circumcision camps, and entertainment. Most We masks were created to frighten with the gaping jaws and tubular eyes. The style of these forest living people differ from the sophisticated, gentle and often refined art of the neighboring savanna-dwellers. We people produce a variety of masks often characterized by enlarged triangular nose, an open mouth and tubular eyes." Source: African art museum(Zyama) Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant: Bakari Bouafle Inv. No. MAZ21377