Sowei/Gonde Mask

Carved wooden helmet mask used by the exclusively female Sande (Mende) or Bondo/Bundu (Temne) societies. The mask is traditionally worn by a high-ranking member of the society, the dancing sowei , known as the ndoli jowei among the Mende or a-Nowo among the Temne. Worn with a raffia costume, the masks typically have a polished black finish, with neck rings, elaborate coiffure and dignified facial expression. The mask is thought to represent conceptions of idealised womanhood. When this example was acquired it was in poor condition with the right side of the face damaged. It is thought that this may have been a Gonde mask, which is often an old Sowei mask that is too decayed or damaged to be used for its original purpose. The Gonde is an entertainment masker that appears together with the dignified ndoli jowei, or dancing Sowei, of the Sande society. It offers a parody of the latter by its own dishevelled appearance and undignified behaviour. Gonde masks are, however, often splattered with white paint, which this one is not.

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Further Information

  • Type: Masks, headdresses
  • Object: Sowei/Gonde Mask
  • Materials: Wood
  • Culture Group: Other
  • Dimensions: Unknown
  • Production Date: Pre 1988
  • Associated Places: Poteru, Pujehun District
  • Associated People: Vandi Koroma (Seller)
  • Museum: Sierra Leone National Museum
  • Accession Number: SLNM.1988.01.01

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