Helmet Mask

Unknown

1830–55 · Wood, iron, copper, pigment, wax · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

With its name translating to "assistant to the fon" or "father of the country," the Kwifon regulatory society serves as a counterbalance to the authority of the supreme ruler. Its independent lodges settle disputes, administer justice, and act as a stabilizing force during moments of transition. Kwifon’s masks are among the most feared and beloved in the northwestern Grassfields. Their demeanor ranges from menacing to jovial, with individual masks sometimes exhibiting both "hot" (angry) and "cool" (placid) traits. During festivals that ensure the protection of the land and its people, they are accompanied by an orchestra of iron bells and other sacred instruments. Given the popularity of the masks, Kwifon sometimes licenses their replication to local lineage groups. Isolated from their performance contexts and stripped of their costumes, the glossy, iron-blackened dance crests become difficult to identify.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1830–55

Medium

Wood, iron, copper, pigment, wax

Culture

Kom kingdom, Laiko

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

Purchase, Walter H. Annenberg, Ernst Anspach, Mrs. Vincent Astor, Charles B. Benenson, Mr. and Mrs. William W. Brill, Mr. and Mrs. J. Richardson Dilworth, Sigrid Galushka, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gerofsky, Marc and Denyse Ginzberg, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Milton F. Rosenthal, Mr. and Mrs. David T. Schiff, Gustave and Franyo Schindler, Faith and Martin Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Wunderman Gifts and Anonymous Gift, 1977